


The New Dream (A Minecraft Story)

by orphan_account



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: (the dog doesn’t die), Action, Action/Adventure, Alex (Minecraft) - Freeform, Boss Battle, Enderman, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Gen, Memory Loss, Minecraft Headcanons, Rating May Change, Stalex is my only ship lol, Steve (Minecraft) - Freeform, Steve and Alex, Survival, The Chosen One (sorta), The End (Minecraft), The Nether (Minecraft), Warnings at top of chapters, Wholesome ship, endermen, hurt/comfort ig?, im outta tags but pls enjoy my little love letter to the game, no Herobrine isn’t here sorry to burst ur bubble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:02:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24608881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Alex awoke, with no clue how she got there… and no idea why she couldn't remember anything from Before. Curious for answers, she sets out to relearn what she has lost. Little does she know that danger is everywhere, and triumphs are hard-earned. Through it all, she finds a destiny far greater than she could ever dream is awaiting her… if she can only be brave enough to take it.~ On Hiatus ~
Relationships: Alex/Steve (Minecraft)
Comments: 112
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

“Wake up.”

Alex’s eyes flew open, the gentle words fading around her.

She looked around, taking in the room she had awoken in. Nobody was in sight. In fact, nothing made a sound. No wind. No leaves. No animals.  
Just a peaceful silence that permeated everything.

The sun glimmered faintly through grimy windows, cutting a diffused strip of light through the cool shadows resting on the floor. She stood, the gentle _thud_ of her feet hitting the floor breaking the quiet. She glanced down, a faded red blanket sliding off the bed to fall at her feet. 

She picked it up, a halo of light shining through her fiery hair as she leaned over. Alex looked around her, breathing in the sweet smell of disuse that lay on everything, including the cloth in her hands. The room wasn’t very large, sparsely decorated with a creaky bed, a chest in the corner, and several unlit torches. Whoever had once lived here obviously hadn’t been back in a very long time…

Alex paused at the thought, glancing back at the bed she had just risen from. Was this her house? If it was, why did it feel so… deserted? She rubbed her eyes, thinking hard. If it wasn't hers, why had she woken up here? Now that she was focusing, she realized she couldn’t remember anything before the words had drawn her from sleep… it was as if a wall of fog had washed over her brain, hiding the past from her.  
She could feel that her past was there, somewhere, but the wall blocked all of her attempts to breakthrough.

She placed the worn blanket gently back onto the bed, feeling as though she should leave the place as it had been. Something about this room felt familiar, but nothing beyond a vague feeling that something… or someone… was missing from the scene revealed itself to her. She puzzled over this feeling, straddling curiosity and annoyance. There seemed to be no indication of why she was here. One glance could tell there was no place to hide answers in here… aside from the solitary chest in the corner, that was.

Alex walked across the room toward the chest, leaving a clear trail of footprints on the long- dusty floor. She bent to open the chest, starting a bit at the long _creeeeaaak_ it let out as she pushed back the lid. It was nothing more than a simple wooden box, just like many that she had seen before. 

Seen before? She searched her blocked off memory, visions of similar wooden chests lighting up in her mind like stars in the dark. She couldn’t peg down any specific moment, but it seemed as though just thinking about the object had unlocked all she knew about others of its kind.

Slightly confused, but encouraged nonetheless by these memories, she peered inside the half-empty chest. Inside were a few seeds, a worn stone axe, a soft leather tunic, a few apples, and a sheath of some sort. Just like with opening the chest moments before, understanding about each of the items lit up in her. She honed in on the sheath at the bottom of the chest, lifting it lightly, and finding its weight surprisingly comfortable in her grasp. 

She sat down gently in the dust, slowly drawing a rough sword from the sheath. It was hewn from stone, with a warm grip of leather. An odd sense of comfort wrapped its arms around her, memories of holding a sword (not unlike the one she held) swimming up through the fog. She ran a gentle finger down the blade, hidden years of training and practice rising in her. 

Alex swallowed the odd sense of nostalgia that had grown in her throat, tucking the sword back into its case and tying the sheath to her hip. The movement was so instinctual that she barely even hesitated to wonder why she might need a weapon… it wasn’t like there was anything to fight… right?

Pushing aside her wandering thoughts, she turned back to the chest, contemplating what she might use the other things for. She pulled the tunic over her head, finding it fit nicely over her light green shirt, and looked for a place to put the other materials. Nobody would be missing them, but as for where to keep them…

Suddenly, like a torch flaring to life in a dark room, she reached out, closing her eyes for a moment. She felt a small tugging sensation at the back of her mind, and before she knew what had even happened, she had opened a pocket of sorts… a small place to put her things within the folds of the universe. She placed the seeds, the axe, and the apples in this pocket she had made, closing the space just as quickly with a single thought.

She stood up, taking a last glance around the room. She felt almost sad for leaving it, the sense that something was missing hanging in the air. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door. There was no use staying here when clues- to the not remembering, to why she was here in the first place- could be waiting right outside the door.

And so, feeling ready to face whatever awaited her, Alex walked into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tysm for reading!!  
> This idea has been stuck in my brain for a while, and I was recently inspired by ,surprisingly enough, the Hermitcraft fan community XD  
> Pls feel free to comment any suggestions for where you would like to see the plot go :3 (nothing is ever set in stone lol)
> 
> Have a wonderful day!!


	2. Chapter 2

The world outside the small house was huge. 

A vast forest was rolled out in front of what turned out to be a small, rustic cabin. It seemed to Alex as if this world never ended, and it took her breath away. It was all she could do just to take a single step… then another. And another, down the steps of the cottage, till she came to stand on the grass. The only signs that anyone had ever been here was a thin trail of faintly glowing torches, headed westward, and the small building behind her.

Alex sat down, just taking it all in. The world suddenly seemed so unfathomably huge; the feeling of the universe spreading before her filled her lungs with excitement and awe. Everywhere she looked, memories flooded in. The dirt, soft and warm under her fingertips, unleashed a flood of bittersweet remembrance. The shady trees and gentle rustling of the breeze running its fingers through the grass; it all felt so familiar and close. So _nearly_ perfect… but there was still something missing. 

Alex didn’t know how long she sat there, just looking and breathing, remembering everything and too little all at once. Finally, when the sun had risen even higher in the sky, she let out a deep sigh, pulling herself to her feet. If her newfound memories served her right, the first thing she would need was wood. She couldn't quite reach for the reason why, but she assumed it would come to her, just like everything else had.

She walked over to one of the many tall oak trees that covered her field of view, looking up into its branches. She pulled out her axe, wondering what to do next. With a shrug, she decided to just go for it, swinging the blade at the base of the tree. A resonating _crack_ rang out through the woods, and she could hear the sound of startled birds flying off in the distance. She pulled the blade out of the tree, finding that it left a deep gash in the wood. She pulled back the axe again, and with two more heavy swings, the tree fell.  
She looked down at the oak lying on the ground, proud and surprised at her own strength. Alex quickly broke the rest of the wood into smaller pieces and was left with a neat stack of logs. 

She looked around, wondering if anything might happen; if any memories might resurge as they had before. But there was nothing. Feeling a bit dejected, she closed her eyes, concentrating at opening the pocket in the universe she had accessed earlier. The space opened before her and she started putting away the wood, but something made her pause. Above the pocket she had made, there seemed to be another space… something else not altogether foreign. 

And then she remembered. 

Grabbing the wood she had collected, she placed it into the mysterious space, and it was as if she could see all the possibilities in front of her eyes. She thought hard, trying to recall exactly what to do next. She settled on refining the wood and was pleasantly surprised when she found four perfect wood planks sitting in her hands almost as soon as she had thought of them. She laughed aloud, incredulously running her thumb over the smooth grain. 

Alex focused again, finding it even easier to open the pocket in the universe this time. She placed the new wooden planks into the mysterious building space and promptly pulled out a small wooden block. This time she was not nearly as surprised to hold it in her hands. The block had a finely engrained checkerboard pattern with nine little notches on its top, its side painted with the images of tools. She smiled down at what she had made, excited to see what else was just out of reach. 

She walked over to another tree, and then another, working tirelessly away at it until she had collected a good pile of wood. She wiped the sweat off her brow, looking up at the sun that now hung high above her in the middle of the sky. She sat down under one of the many other trees, pulling out one of the apples she had collected from the chest that morning. 

Setting down her crafting table (she seemed to remember calling it this in the Before), she opened the building space. Idea after idea streamed through her head as she munched on the apple, watching the leftover leaves drift away on the wind. She played around with ideas, finally deciding to build a simple pickaxe from the wood she had gathered.

Alex lifted the tool in her hand, simultaneously feeling the weight of it- and all the ones before it- in her grip. How odd a feeling it was, this stream of recollection. It seemed like there was a whole flood of info blocked by some mysterious barrier… and all it took was simply seeing something to bring all she knew of it crashing over the wall. She couldn’t decide if it excited or confused her, and there had been more than one moment in the day that she had paused, feeling like she was missing some key bit of info.

Try as she might, she couldn’t put her finger on what she was missing. She couldn’t bear thinking that there was more out there, just beyond her grasp. Alex glanced at the sky again, the sun already tracking its way across a field of blue to the west. She had wasted enough time wondering. Now was the time for doing. 

She quickly took inventory of what she had gathered, placing her pickaxe alongside the remaining planks (there would be time to use them later). She wasn’t sure where she was going, but she was excited to learn and see more nonetheless.

Without a second look backwards, Alex set off westward, determined to find whatever she was missing.

~

 _Steve loved flying. Loved the rush of wind blowing through his dark hair. He loved the feeling of freedom, the total bliss of moving higher and higher, rocketing through the clouds._

_Steve did not, however, enjoy crashing, and it was this one thought going through his head as he heard the sickening ripping noise that announced his elytra failing._

_His stomach dropped almost before he did, arms outstretched hopelessly to try and save the last of his glide. The air flew faster and faster past his face, the ground lurching nearer._

_He held on tightly to his wings, dread filling his lungs. “Pull up!! Pull up!” There was no time, just panicked instinct. He shot off a rocket, a last-ditch effort that changed his course just enough to save him from breaking his neck._

_And then it was too late to do anything, too late to think as the impact jolted through him. Steve threw his arms up, his shredded wings giving him next-to-no protection as he tumbled roughly onto the ground. He rolled, over and over, until finally coming to a rocky stop. He lay on his back, breathless, the wind escaping his lungs and the sky still spinning. He could already feel a sharp pain in his ankle but was too busy thanking his lucky stars he wasn’t dead._

_Now to get home..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tysm for reading and have a wonderful day :D  
> (Be sure to comment your thoughts, opinions, ideas!)


	3. Chapter 3

Alex walked, on and on, content to just look around at the world she had found herself in. She gazed up through the towering oaks and graceful birches, their shade turning the afternoon heat comfortable. She constantly stopped to look at the gentle flowers that dotted the forest, picking a few light blue-white ones that smelled like spring. Her fingers worked at making a chain of the blossoms as she walked, memories of hundreds of other care-free afternoons springing up in her mind. 

After a while, she came out of the forest, greeted by a wide-open plain. Tall grasses waved gently in the wind, and a group of small rabbits scampering away as she approached them. Up ahead, there was a small stream, with more of the little blue-white flowers scattered around it. She stopped briefly and scooped up a handful of the clear sweet water. Refreshed by the break, she continued walking along the riverbank, keeping the path of torches to her right as the sun slowly set.

Soon, the entire field was illuminated in dying golden light, the grasses and flowers casting long shadows at her feet. She smiled out at the sunset, wondering (and not for the first time that day) how something so beautiful had escaped her memory. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth on her face, memories flooding back into her. A similar evening, stretched on the grass with puffy pink clouds high overhead. Standing on a high mountain, watching darkness fall over the land. 

It was gorgeous, and a little saddening to think of all the moments that she had misplaced, and once again she was pulled out of the moment. That feeling- of being incomplete- was stronger than ever here, and she wondered if it would ever leave her. She paused for a moment, looking around at the shadows that were pooling at the edges of her vision. The trail of torches she had been following was suddenly far more visible, and she could see their warm glow stretching even further into the distance. 

For the first time, she wondered where she might stay the night. She wasn’t opposed to sleeping on the ground (and she was far from tired yet), but there was that feeling again… the sense that she was missing some key piece of info. It filled her with an inexplicable sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach… a dread of _something_ to come. 

Shaking her head, Alex continued following the torches, the nervousness growing in her as the sky darkened further. Suddenly, she heard a noise. A loud rustling came from the tall grass that lay just outside the ring of light cast by the torches. She lay a hand on the hilt of her sword, fingers wrapping tight around its handle as she scanned the grass. Something was off…

Suddenly, she felt something grab her arm, and a terrible stench filled her nose. She swung around, dropping her chain of flowers to grab her sword with two hands, and came face to face with the most horrid creature she had ever seen. 

Its eyes were dark orbs, its gaping smile filled with rotting teeth. The thing wore stained clothes, full of rips and tears, and its skin sagged as if it were melting off it. Alex backed up, eyes wide, and it was all she could do to keep standing as memory after memory flooded her mind. She pressed a palm to her forehead, her right hand still gripping the sword for dear life. The zombie gave a terrible groan, moving forward towards her. _“Get out of your head!”_ She screamed at herself, shaking off the influx of memories. 

The zombie lunged again, reaching its terrible, rotten claws toward her. Instinctively, she swung the sword, lobbing off the monster’s head as it reached her. Alex stared down at the gruesome scene, heart pounding in her throat. She heard another gargling moan in the distance, getting louder every moment. She had to move. Now.

She took one step, then another, and another, forcing herself to go, faster and faster. If she had forgotten about the zombies, what else might be out there, lurking in the dark? Soon, she was sprinting across the field, her hair streaming behind her, legs pumping faster than she ever thought possible.

As she streaked along, she could see even more zombies forming a disgusting hoard behind her, and she put on an extra burst of speed. She could see the tree line ahead, the promise of cover growing closer and closer. She reached the first tall tree and began climbing as fast as she could, scraping her knees against the rough bark. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of white, and before she knew what had happened, an arrow was lodged in the bark above her. She faltered for a moment, and almost lost her grip on the tree. 

The twang of a bow rang out again, another arrow landing where her foot had just been. Arms shaking, she turned just long enough to register the skeleton that was loading their weapon before putting on a burst of speed.

Alex dragged herself up the tree, one branch at a time until she could go no further, hidden between the leaves. She scooted against the trunk, trying to still her racing heart. Eyes closed, she took a deep breath. Zombies and skeletons. How could she have forgotten?! She could still hear the hoard’s chilling moans (although now slightly confused at being unable to find their prey) along with the creaking of dry bones. She had escaped.

She took a deep breath, her memories getting louder in her mind with the immediate danger past. Night after night after night ran through her brain, like a crash course in every zombie she had ever killed playing out in front of her. Alex shook her head, trying to shut down the constant stream of info because it just wouldn’t stop, it didn’t stop, _why was it so loud?!_

Right when she thought she couldn’t stand it anymore, it was over. Her mind was silent. The panic subsided, and she was left with silence… aside from the mobs below her. What had that been? There had been too many memories this time, too many moments to comprehend, and almost all of them were still off… as if there was a second part missing.  
She thought for a moment, eyes closed as she sorted through all the new info. She was positive there had been someone else with her in most of these… new memories? Old memories? Restored memories?… Whatever they were called, she couldn’t figure out who had been cut from all her memories… she hadn’t met a single soul this whole day. The whole thing was a mystery to her; one big, infuriating mystery. 

She would have sat there far longer, just thinking it all over, but as the adrenaline left her, she realized just how tired she was. The day-long walk and mad dash to safety had left her drained. At least for now, there was nothing else she could do but get some rest. 

Alex leaned her head against the tree trunk, looking through the canopy up at the scattered stars. She wanted answers, wanted to know what had happened to her memories. Maybe she would find out in the morning... So, despite the perpetual list of questions she had about this new world, she somehow fell into a deep sleep, her lullaby the sound of the undead. 

Little did she know, answers where far closer that night than she could ever suspect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops, sorry for this being late. I switched a bunch of plot lines around in the middle of editing and didn't want to send out an incomplete bit. 
> 
> Hope yall are having a great week and feel free to comment!!


	4. Chapter 4

_Steve was in trouble._

_It seemed like there where far more zombies than usual tonight, and it was starting to show.  
He swung his sword fast, pushing back the hoards and trying to block out the overpowering stench of death. Stab, hack, slash. One, four, ten; they just kept coming. He limped backwards, his sprained ankle making it harder and harder to keep the mobs at bay._

_Finally, he had slashed through the last zombie… for now. Breathing heavily, he took a moment to look around. He hadn’t been to this part of the woods in a long while, and could barely remember what direction anything was in. He kicked the ground lightly, annoyed at himself for not checking his elytra before leaving the village. If he hadn’t been so impatient… there wouldn’t have been a crash, he wouldn’t have been grounded for the night, and he probably would have been safe at home. Steve suddenly noticed something half-buried in the sand at his feet, breaking through his annoyed thoughts. There, right next to his foot, sat a small chain of flowers, woven tightly together._

_He picked the strand of flowers up, and couldn’t help feeling that there was something familiar about them… as if he had seen something like this in the still misty past. Ever since he had woken up a few weeks ago, he had continuously been remembering new info. At first, it had been strange, and even a bit overwhelming at times, but now those revelations were far and few between._

_The flowers seemed to glow in the moonlight, and Steve felt a small knot of remembrance growing in his mind. A small glimmer of understanding was blossoming... could this be a link to the incomplete memories?_

_Before he could think it over, the sharp twang of a bow firing broke his moment of peace. He tucked the flowers into his inventory quickly, ducking out of the way as the arrow came whizzing at him. He raised his sword to quickly deflect another arrow, swinging around to spot the skeleton standing just before the treeline._

_He ran in a wide circle, ignoring the pain in his ankle the best he could. Steve reached the skeleton before it could reload its bow, and a single swipe of his sword left the foe nothing but a pile of inanimate bones. Hands on his knees and breathing heavily, he took a moment to regain his bearings, still only vaguely recognizing his location._

_He leaned against one of the trees, regretting for the millionth time today getting himself into this. He closed his eyes, giving himself to the count of ten before moving again. There was no use staying here, knowing that more monsters would be coming at any moment._

_With an exhausted sigh, he looked around for some sort of landmark. A line of torches ran through the middle of the field, but they did little good. When he had first connected all of the structures to the village with torch trails, he had kind of forgotten to put up signs about where they led. Now, they were only helpful at night from the sky and did close to nothing in the day, unless they were followed on foot._

_Steve considered his options, running his hands nervously through his hair. There was a chance that whatever direction he chose to go in would be the opposite direction of the village, probably leaving him stuck at some obscure location. He was positive his sprained ankle would only grow worse with walking, but what choice did he have? It wouldn’t be safe to just stay here, at the mercy of the nighttime mobs, and he doubted he could climb a tree tonight._

_So, despite the worried knot in his stomach and the throbbing in his ankle, Steve hefted his sword again, tuning to follow the old torch trail through the night. He just had to hope that he was headed toward safety._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life’s been hectic, promise the schedule will be back next week XD
> 
> Tysm for reading, and have a beautiful day!!


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was slowly rising over the horizon when Alex woke up. The leaves around her cast dappled shadows over everything, and she had a brief moment of panic realizing she was in a tree. She flung her arms out just as she lost her balance, the draw of sleep vanishing as she narrowly avoided falling off the branch. 

Alex rubbed her eyes, the events of the previous night coming back to her in a rush. Hiding up here had felt like a good idea then, but now her arms and back were stiff from sleeping in such an awkward position. She slowly massaged her neck as she turned around to look through the leaves below, checking for any zombies under the tree.

Unable to see or hear anything out of the ordinary, she started her descent. One branch at a time she drew closer to the ground, still scanning for mobs. Finally, she reached the last branch, jumping lightly to the ground as if she had done this a million times before. Thinking about it now, climbing felt so second nature that she had hardly noticed the memories being unveiled the night before. Or possibly they had just gone unnoticed in the adrenaline of the night.

Alex glanced around her, taking a deep breath. The previous evening had been hectic, but it had taught her to be on guard. Now that she remembered the threat of mobs (and how to combat them), the feeling of uneasy dread was gone. The danger was still there, but she wasn’t nearly as scared. The undead were merely an unpleasant fact of life, not the be-all-end-all, and that thought gave her the confidence to look forward with excitement, not fear.

After eating an apple quickly (she would have to get more food soon; that had been her last apple) it didn’t take her long to find the trail of torches she had been following the day before. With nowhere else to go, the torch path seemed a far better option than wandering aimlessly. Besides, her curiosity was too great to go a new direction without discovering what was at the end of the trail.

With the morning sun at her back and adventure on the breeze, Alex started off, excited to see what she might find.

~

_Steve was exhausted.  
It felt like days had gone by while he had fought his way through the night, finally breathing a sigh of relief as the sun rose over the trees and dispelled most of the mobs. Now, it was just a matter of keeping up the pace… a feat that grew harder every moment with his twisted ankle slowing him down._

_Finally, he had to give in and rest, hardly able to stand after a full night of walking. He closed his eyes, running his fingers through the grass absentmindedly. His hand brushed against the petals of a small flower, and he opened his eyes to glance down at it. The tiny plant reminded him of the chain he had found the night before, and he pulled it out of his inventory._

_The petals were slightly wilted, their stems locked a bit looser than they had been earlier. He turned the pretty little creation over in his hands, wondering why it felt so familiar. Steve was sure he had never made something like it before, and he strained his mind to place it._

_Only one small scene stood out to him… he was sitting in a room made of stone… the memory had a sense of foreboding, but for the life of him, he couldn’t peg why. Steve closed his eyes, concentrating. He could clearly remember a chain just like the one he held in his hand sitting on cracked bricks, damp moss glistening off of the stone. He puzzled over the memory, certain he had never seen a place like this before… at least not since he woke up._

_But there it was, clear as day. The crown of flowers, standing out so brightly against this dark scene. And something else… a sense of incompleteness. He couldn’t tell what it was… it was as if half of the recollection was missing. What had happened? Why would he have been in a place like that, with an identical chain of flowers? And what was missing (because he was sure part of the story was missing)?_

_He shook his head, pushing away the uneasiness in his chest. He glanced up at the sky. Somehow the sun had already climbed up to the half-way point. How long had he been sitting there? Steve looked down at his sore ankle again, about to place the flower chain back in his inventory when he heard a sound from the other end of the clearing._

_He looked up sharply, locking onto a pair of bright green eyes. His breath caught in his lungs, the wall in his mind that had become so familiar breaking down again as memory after memory was unleashed._

“Alex.”

_He tried to stand, her name on the tip of his tongue. Too fast. Something was wrong. Dark spots flashed in the corners of his vision as he put weight on his injured leg. The world tilted, and he desperately reached to activate his elytra, forgetting that his broken wings were what had landed him here in the first place._

_The last thing Steve saw was a blur of motion moving towards him, the world moving in slow motion. For a split second he wondered if she had forgotten too… was she remembering?_

_He didn’t get a chance to find out before the world went black._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _(Finally on time lol)_
> 
> Thanks for reading, dftba :)


	6. Chapter 6

Alex loved the woods; a fact that would have been true with or without her memory. 

She loved the way the wind rustled the trees, the bright greens that illuminated everything under the canopy with cool, dappled light. In the forest, Alex felt like she could breathe, free of worry. The walking didn’t exhaust her, the mobs didn’t scare her. She was at home.

She hadn’t been walking long when she came across a small trail of footprints. Not the tracks of the small birds or wild pigs she had seen, but actual marks of another human. “Or just another zombie,” she thought apprehensively. She cautiously followed them, hoping against hope that this meant she was near some sort of civilization. 

As she went, she noticed the footsteps becoming less even, as if whoever had been walking couldn’t move well. Eyes wide with curiosity, she found the trail come to an abrupt end at the edge of a clearing. She looked up, quickly ducking behind a tree. There! Another person, sitting at the base of a tree. 

She peered around the edge of her hiding spot, not sure what to do. The man was tall, with deeply tanned skin and dark, messy hair. He wore a bright cyan shirt with blue jeans and seemed to be looking at something, turning it over in his hands.

Something felt so very familiar about him, but Alex couldn’t lay a finger on it. It was as if she had seen him long ago, but just couldn’t place him. She was straining her limited memory, hoping it would give a little, when he suddenly looked up. She panicked, trying to move back behind the tree, but his eyes had already met hers.

Those eyes. They were a deep, shining indigo, and like flipping a switch, a flood of memories rushed her.

_A scared boy, tightly gripping a sword, a dead skeleton at his feet._

_Sitting next to him, the sun rising over a small village._

_Underwater, a sword brandished against some sort of zombie._

_Holding hands, fireworks bursting overhead as he kissed her._

_A surprised look, a charred building in front of them._

_Riding side by side, edging his horse on with a laugh._

_A dark tunnel, lava pouring from the ceiling, with him at her back._

_Dancing together under the light of a twilight forest._

_An explosion, they were running fast, his shield raised against a torrent of arrows._

_A labyrinth made of cracked stone, the air around them full of mist._

_Forehead against a wall, tears tracked down his face._

_A portal of some sort igniting with a rumble, nervous excitement in his eyes._

_Taking her hand, jumping into what felt like infinity._

_Purple light flying over everything in sight, his face the last thing she saw before darkness._

In an instant, an entire lifetime came back to her, staggering and beautiful. She blinked, and it was over, her memory reeling. He opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, but as he stood something happened. A look of pain flashed on his face, and before Alex knew what was happening, he was falling. She couldn’t seem to move fast enough. She reached out but knew she couldn’t catch him. She was running, a shout escaping her.

He hit the ground, out cold. Closer up, she could see he looked like he had been through the wringer, dirt clinging to his clothes, something light purple and torn was on his back. She knelt next to him, checking his pulse. _“Oh God, please don’t be dead”_ His heartbeat fluttered against her fingertips, faint, but present. She breathed a sigh of relief, not understanding what had happened in the first place.

She shook his shoulder lightly, unsure of what to do next. “Steve. Wake up. Wake up!” She sat down in the grass, nervous adrenaline running through her. She couldn’t see any immediate danger but was worried that she may be forgetting something else, something dangerous. She pulled out her sword, determined now to wait until he was awake… and stop whatever unseen force had knocked him out. She tapped the flat of her blade, needing to do something with this nervous energy.  
Her mind was racing, but it had nowhere to go.

Steven. She couldn’t believe that her stupid memory had erased him, even for a moment. So many moments filled her mind, his smile in every one of them. Now that she could see everything that she had missed, she realized how close she had been to losing her best friend… and not even realizing that she had lost anything. What would have happened if she hadn’t followed his tracks on a whim? What if she had just kept going… and he had passed out alone, with nobody there? Would she never have met him again? Would he have been taken by the mobs that night, never to be seen? Would she have kept looking for the other half of her life without realizing he had been lost out here?

Even worse; did he remember her too? Was the memory loss the same for him?

Her scared “what ifs?” were interrupted by a groan from behind her. She whipped around, relief flooding over her as she saw Steve looking around groggily. He blinked as if trying to dispel the sleep from his brain. “What happened?” His eyes met hers, a small grin lighting up his face. “Alex,” he said softly, so quiet she could barely catch it. 

She smiled back at him, tears springing to her eyes. “Hey, Steve,” She said, her voice cracking a bit. She helped him sit up, steadying him. He held onto her hand, eyes full of light, and for a moment, it felt like no time had passed at all. She gripped him in a hug, the tears falling freely down her cheeks. “Funny thing,” he said, his voice full of tearful laughter in her ear, “I kind of forgot you for a moment.” 

She pulled back, laughing. “Happens to the best of us,” she said, nudging his shoulder. “I just now remembered you.” He smiled at her, eyes searching her face. “Glad I’m not the only one forgetting things.” He said quietly, his smile falling into a small grin. “I think this is yours,” He said, picking up the small flower crown she had made yesterday. “Where did you find this?” she said in disbelief. She was sure she had lost it while escaping the zombie.

“Just found it around,” He said with a smile, putting it lightly on her head. “It felt… important, I guess.” She smiled back at him, touching the wilted petals. “It meant you were around, so I guess I was right, huh?” Alex laughed, shaking her head. “I guess so,” She still couldn’t really wrap her head around everything that was going on, but if her memory was right… well, this wasn’t too bad a place to be.

Steve put an arm around her shoulder, and she looked up at him, one big question on her mind. “So.. what just happened… with the whole ‘passing out’ thing?” She asked. Steve ran a hand through his hair, wincing a little.   
“You saw that, huh?” She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting. “Not my finest moment…” chuckled, looking down at his hands. “Well, I went out flying yesterday, and um, kind of forgot to-”   
“Flying?!” she cut him off, surprised. “You can fly?!”  
“Yeah, with elytra.” He pulled at the purple-grey contraption on his back.

“Oh…” she said, a few memories surfacing. She remembered the feeling of flying, air rushing through her hair, but there was little more than that. No real explanation as to what the wings were, or how they worked. She’d have to find out later...“I haven’t seen one of those… again… er, since I woke up?” She said, not quite sure how to say what she meant. 

“It’s ok, I get it.” He said with a small smile. “The same thing happened to me when I woke up. I’ve been getting memories back for weeks now.” Alex silently breathed a sigh of relief, glad she wasn’t the only one with this problem. “Anyway, I kind of sort of…. Fell out of the sky.” Alex stared at him in disbelief. “Are you ok?! What did you do?” She looked him up and down. “Are you hurt?” He laughed a bit, but she just put a hand on his arm, concerned. “Steven-” 

He waved a hand at her, “I’m getting to that,” he said, rolling up his left pant leg. “I sprained my ankle pretty bad when I crashed, and I guess I just couldn’t handle the pressure… I’ve been walking all night,” 

He said it nonchalantly, smiling the whole time, but his movements were careful. Alex could see how much it hurt. His ankle was bruised and swollen… no wonder he’d fainted. Alex didn’t know what to do. She hugged him again. “You idiot. Why would you do that?” He shrugged, giving her a weak smile. “I didn’t know what else to do but keep going.” She sighed… leave it to Steve to get hurt doing something stupid and be all heroic about it. “Besides,” he said, moving to sit next to her. “It meant I found you again, so it can’t be that bad.” 

She grinned despite herself. “Yeah, I am pretty awesome.” Steve laughed, and even though she was worried for him, that made it better. They sat there for another moment, each lost in their thoughts. “So…” Alex said, looking up at the noon-day sky. “Where are we going to go? Can you even walk?” Steve looked at her, his grin faltering. “I honestly don’t know.” He looked down at his hands as if he could just pull an answer out of thin air. “I was following the old torch trail, but I don’t even know if I’m heading for the village or one of the old cottages.” Alex smiled, glad to have an answer for once. “I’m following it too, and I came from a cottage. We must be on the way to the village.” He nodded, a look of consternation on his face. “That’s good. I can try walking again... We’re probably about halfway there. It won’t be that bad.” 

He started moving as if to stand, but Alex put a hand on his shoulder, her forehead creased with concern. “I don’t think its a good idea for you to be putting weight on your ankle.” He looked about ready to oppose, but she ignored it. “I don’t want you to get hurt. We’ll stay here until you’re better.”  
“Alex, I’m fine,” he said, trying to stand again. “Look,”

He didn’t even get all the way up before he stumbled, face flushed. Alex quickly hooked an arm around his waist, dragging him back down. “You’re not going anywhere, mister.”  
“Yeah, ok,” he said, cringing. 

“How about this; we stay the night here, and then we can keep going in the morning.” Steve nodded, leaning back against a tree. “That’s probably the best I’m gonna get,” He laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. 

“You better believe it.” She said, shoving him playfully. He laughed, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Yes ma’am.” She smiled, content to just sit there. They may have been a little lost, but at least for a moment, the world no longer seemed so confusing. Who cared if they would have to face problems later? They were together, and that mattered far more than where they were.

They had found their missing memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I re-wrote this chapter so many times so that there wouldn’t be major plot holes later on XD
> 
> The dynamic duo is finally together though and I don’t plan on having to edit, so yay!
> 
> Tysm for reading, and I hope you have a fabulous day :D
> 
> <3 ST


	7. Chapter 7

_The hours flew by, Steve and Alex comparing notes about everything that happened to them since they had lost their memories. He told her all about waking up at the village, dealing with the influx of memories as he had sorted through his old things. He relived the confusing weeks, finally able to talk about how he had hidden his amnesia from the curious villagers._

_It felt like a weight had lifted off Steve’s chest, being here with Alex. He would never admit it, but he had lived the past few weeks wondering if he would ever get all of his mind back… if all those missing fragments would finally be finished._

_Now he had almost all his memories; but most importantly, he had Alex. It felt bizarre but natural to be here with her… like they’d just been on a long trip, not… whatever was actually happening. Even if they had found each other under unfortunate circumstances, he wouldn’t have changed a thing. Except possibly not crashing… that he could do without._

_Alex told him about her last day, recounting the walk from the old cottage. Steve explained how the memory recollections had worked for him, but try as they might, they couldn’t figure out why she had woken up weeks after Steve. After a few fruitless rounds of speculation, they dropped it, deciding that the whole mystery could wait._

_“I’m honestly just glad to not be alone anymore,” Steve said with a sheepish grin, running a hand through his hair. “I know it sounds kind of weird, but I missed you. It felt like something was missing from almost everything I could remember without you there.”_

_Alex nodded thoughtfully, her eyes shining with curiosity. “I get it. Its almost like… like a wall is up in my mind, stopping things from getting through until I see them again.” Steve nodded. “And so many of the memories I have now are almost... fragmented. Sort of cut off midway.” Steve paused for a moment, thinking that over. That was exactly what it felt like. “I couldn’t have said it better.” He looked up at the sky, lost in his thoughts for a moment. “When we get back home, I’ll show you everything… get your memory back all the way.”_

_“Home?” she looked at him oddly, her bright green eyes full of curiosity. “I- We… have a home?” He tilted his head at her. “You’re not serious right? The big dark oak house, with the big balcony. It's on the edge of a huge wheat field on the edge of the village. We built it a few summers ago, remember?”_

_Alex shook her head, brow furrowed like she was straining to remember. Steve ploughed on, trying to think of as many details as he could. “There's this huge front yard, with all kinds of animals and plants. You did the interiors, and made sure all the flowers were right,” He laughed, finally able to recall everything that had gone into the house._

_“You must at least remember the barn. It’s built into the side of the cliff. We had a big argument about having sheep while building it.”  
“Sheep?”  
“Yeah, you hated the things. Er, hate them?”  
“Why?”  
Steve shrugged, grinning. “Beats me. There still aren’t any sheep at the house though.” _

_Alex bit her lip, staring down at the ground like she was trying to remember. Steve studied her face, searching for some sign that she remembered… some glimmer of recognition. “It’s our home Alex. Yours and mine.” She didn’t meet his gaze. “I… I can’t remember anything like that.” She said softly, staring down at the ground. “Nothing?” He said gently, wondering why he could remember the house while she couldn’t… wondering why he couldn’t just fix all this nonsense. Did this “see and remember” thing really apply to everything?_

_“Nothing,” she replied softly, her face looking crestfallen._

_“Hey, it’s ok,” Steve said, taking her hand. “I’m sure it’ll come back to you when you see it.” He gave her a small grin. She nodded, pursing her lips in thought. Steve didn’t know what to say. It felt so unfair that she would have to go find everything she had forgotten… and a little scary to think that their memories may not line up for a long time. He wished he could just fix it all now. “It’ll be okay.”_

_Alex nodded, leaning against his shoulder.  
“The sky’s pretty tonight, isn’t it?” she said after a moment, her eyes turned toward the stars that were slowly brightening. “Mhm.” He looked up at the dark purples and oranges that filled the sky, beckoning in the night. A comfortable silence filled the space between them. It felt just like he remembered; in the Before. Was it like this for her? Did she worry about what he was thinking? Maybe that didn’t even matter. They were together, after all. _

_Soon the sun had dipped entirely below the treeline. As much as Steve wanted to keep sitting here, there was no way the mobs would be forgiving._

_“I’ll take the first watch okay?” Alex said softly, pulling out her sword. “You get some sleep.” Steve wanted to object, but he really was exhausted…  
“You sure? I can handle it.”  
“I’m positive. You aren’t going to hurt that ankle anymore.”  
“Okay. Just don’t have too much fun without me.” he chuckled, kissing her cheek softly before leaning back against the tree and closing his eyes.  
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, giving him a small smile as she stood.  
“‘’Night Alex.”  
“Goodnight Steve.” _

\---

Alex leaned against one of the towering oak trees, shifting her sword from one hand to the other. It had been a relatively quiet few hours; only a couple mobs had shown up, and she had finished them off quickly. Her eyes bounced from one edge of the clearing to the sky to Steve (who was now snoring away in front of her) to the other end of the glade, and back. 

Her thoughts were loud in her head, and the night was way too quiet for her to ignore them. She found herself halfway wishing for a few monsters to show up… any distraction to get her nervous energy out. She didn’t like sitting here… dwelling on all the pieces of her mind that she couldn’t get to. She definitely didn’t like knowing there was nothing she could do. At least fighting was within her power.

For what felt like the millionth time that night, she began to pace again; walking circles both in her mind and on the ground. The thought of some info just… missing; it scared her more than she wanted to admit. Little things like forgetting what her own house looked like was bad enough, but that was only part of the problem.

What if she ended up doing something bad just because she couldn’t remember it was wrong? Or what if she walked into danger, not even recognizing it, like with the zombies last night? Anything could happen… and there was any number of things she could mess up in ignorance.

Alex stopped in the middle of the clearing, shaking herself mentally. Nothing bad would happen. Steve would be there with her, and her memory would return… she hoped. She wasn’t alone. She wouldn’t have to figure it out on her own. She had worried, and worried, and worried some more, and she was done wasting time.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. ‘ _Get a hold of yourself, Alex.’_ She had always tried to work through common sense, and even though there was nothing common about what was going on, there must be some way to logic herself out of this. Right?  
Take it one step at a time. “What do I know for sure?” She started pacing again, ticking off facts on her fingers. 

One; she’d woken up with no recollection of the past.

Two; that memory was restored when she saw something to trigger it. Sometimes she needed to touch an object to recall it as well.

Three; recollections could be incomplete (as she had seen throughout the day), or even missing details.

Four; ...

She paused. There was no four. She didn’t know what happened next. Didn’t know anything beyond the basics. What was she supposed to do with this? 

Alex didn’t have time to wonder much longer when her thoughts were broken by a rumbling groan from across the glade. She swung around to face the zombie, remembering that she was supposed to be on guard. 

She ran at it, sword held at the ready. The grotesque mob raised its groping arms to meet her, but right before she was in reach of the monster, she whipped around a tree, using the trunk to change her direction. Alex plunged her sword into the zombies back from behind, the creature falling with one last angry growl.

She stared down at the dying mob, calmly wiping her blade off on the grass. She was grateful for the distraction, anything to ignore the growing sense of emptiness in her mind. She had just started to go back to her pacing when she heard a strange sound behind her. 

Alex raised her sword cautiously, squinting into the darkness that the torchlight didn’t penetrate. There it was again… a light warbling sound, followed by the swish of grass. She stepped to the edge of the torchlight, finally spotting… something.

A dark figure stood on the edge of the shadows, its back to her. If she hadn’t been looking straight at it she wouldn’t have seen anything out of the ordinary; just another shadow. The creature had long spindly limbs and a short torso, and the air around it tingled with strange static energy.

She edged closer toward it, knuckles white as she gripped her sword. Suddenly, the shadow turned, luminous purple eyes locking onto hers. Her heart skipped a beat, her vision flashing; she was no longer in the forest. 

For one thing, the sky was dark. Not like night; it was as if it was a void, sucking in all light, save for a hazy purple glow that enveloped everything. Everywhere she looked, the skyline was broken up by dark, towering pillars, topped by spinning crystals or lights of some sort. 

The ground was different too. Up until then, she had only see grass and sand, but here the ground was a strange yellowish rock. She tried to take a step forward but found herself rooted in place. Everywhere she turned, more of the warbling shadows like the one in the clearing where converging around her, their purple eyes piercing through her. The whole place felt eerie, the eyes pressing in on her from every direction. 

Ahead she heard heavy wingbeats, a rush of wind coming toward her. Something huge was up ahead, something that made her stomach drop. She tried to run, to escape the eyes and the menacing winds, but she still couldn’t move. Dread filled every atom of her being as a menacing shadow dropped down on her, the same blinding purple fire she had seen in her fragmented memories engulfing her.

And then it was over. She was back in the woods, a terrible screeching sound filling her ears.

Before she could move, or even think to move, a heavy blow hit her side, sending her sprawling backwards. The tall shadow dashed forward and she jumped to her feet, the horrible sound coming from the creature’s unhinged jaw. Quicker than thought, the thing was suddenly behind her, throwing her to the ground. Alex’s sword skidded away from her, and she tried to roll over and reach it. 

The tall figure lunged at her again, landing another blow to her head. A gasp escaped her, black spots crowding her vision. “Don’t pass out, don’t pass out.” The shadow popped in and out of her field of vision, too fast to predict. Feebly shielding herself from the monster, Alex crawled over to her sword. Its screeches were deafening, and she wished the thing would just get out of her head.

Finally, she reached her sword, raising it over her head just in time to catch the dark blur. The shadow screeched in pain, sprinting away, and she thought she had won. Her sword dipped, and she realized a second too late that she had made a mistake. The thing popped up in front of Alex, eyes alight with fury. She raised her arms, but it was too late, the thing hitting her like a ton of bricks.

She was flung back against a tree, a sharp crack ringing out through the clearing as her head hit the trunk. Stars danced in her eyes, her vision blurring over. The shadow raised its long arms over her, and Alex squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the end.

The final blow never came.

A strange tingling sensation flew over her, a kind of static energy that froze in the air. Her skin crawled as the wave washed over everything, her fists clenched tight against the powerful aura. 

And then, just as soon as it came, the feeling was gone, leaving the area in a heavy silence.

Cautiously, Alex opened her eyes. The shadow was gone, the only trace it had ever been there the ringing in her ears. Steve looked up from where the thing had been, his sword clutched in a white-knuckled grip. They sat for a moment, staring at each other with mirror images of baffled relief. 

Finally, he broke the trance, sighing exhaustedly as he sat down next to her. “Thought you said you wouldn’t have all the fun without me.” He said, still a bit out of breath. “Couldn’t… help myself.” Alex said, her voice weak. He laughed and exhausted sound that rang through the glade. Alex hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until that moment, and it was as if the entire woods let out its tension as she joined in with his uncontrollable laughter.

The pair laughed for a long time, all the disbelief spilling out till Alex finally had to catch her breath, dizzy and sore. Steve put an arm around her, a sobering quiet falling back over the clearing. “You’re crazy. You know that?” he said, shaking his head a bit. “To take on an enderman with a stone sword…” He met her eyes, his face showing a mixture of concern and disbelief. “Did you even know what it was?” 

Alex shook her head slightly, exhaustion setting in as the adrenaline faded. “No… I had no clue it would… that it was,” She waved a hand feebly, filling in her confusion and fear with the vague gesture. “Well… at least you’re ok.” Steve said quietly, the realisation hanging in the air. She could have died. Probably would have if she had been alone. Alex was just realising now just how hard a beating she had taken, just how close she had cut it.

“Hey, you are ok, right?” Steve asked, looking at her hard. She didn’t even know how to respond. The answer was probably no. “I… I don’t know.” She looked at her hands, searching for the words she needed. “Everything hurts, especially my head...” she touched the spot that had hit the tree lightly, wincing as her fingertips brushed it. “But… there was something else… some sort of… vision?” 

Steve gave her a look, and she could tell he didn’t understand. “A vision? Like getting the memories back? ”  
“It wasn’t like remembering… it was too real… as if I was there.” She closed her eyes, wishing she knew how to explain it.... wishing she understood what she had seen. “I don’t know… but it felt important” she said again, her voice cracking a bit. 

Silently, he pulled her close, arms wrapping around her. She sighed deeply, wishing she had the words to explain. “It’s ok…not knowing.” He said quietly, running a hand lightly through her hair. She closed her eyes, giving into shock and exhaustion as she buried her face against his chest. 

She wanted to thank him. Wanted to apologize. Wanted so desperately to do something, anything, to make up for the not knowing. But no words came, and maybe that was ok. Maybe she didn’t need words... just a moment to breath, safe here with Steve’s arms around her. 

As if reading her thoughts, he pulled back, looking her in the eyes. His dark purple gaze latched onto her’s. “You’ll be ok.” He said softly. A statement, not up for debate. She nodded, hoping he was right. “ _We’ll_ be ok.”

And as she fell asleep, Alex knew that even if everything had gone wrong, he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man did this chapter go through so many rewrites XD  
> Sorry if bits of it were choppy or weird, hopefully it didn’t detract from the story too much ;-;
> 
> As always, tysm for reading! I hope you have a fantastic week, and dftba :)
> 
> <3 ST


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW; panic attack, if you don’t want to read it stop at the third “---“

_The rest of the night passed quietly, though Steve barely noticed the time flying by._

_No more mobs tried to ambush them (a fact that he was grateful for, as his ankle was throbbing from rushing the Enderman earlier), and Steve resigned to watch the stars move slowly overhead, nervously fiddling with the strap of his shredded elytra that he still hadn’t bothered to take off._

_He didn’t know why tonight, in particular, had set him on edge, but there was definitely something… off. Maybe it was the fact that he felt so out of control. Maybe it had been that strange aura… the last breath of the enderman that had made his blood run cold. Or maybe it was just fear… fear of cutting it so close. Fear of losing Alex. Because he was afraid; even if he didn’t want to admit it. They’d only just found each other again, but he still couldn’t do anything to help her out of this memory thing. The least he could do was make sure she didn’t die because of it._

_It was just like being back at the beginning, with no memories, no explanations; only this time it wasn’t even his mind. Sure, answers had come with time for him, but the in-between… the figuring out. That’s what he dreaded. Alex had always been the put together one, but Steve doubted she wasn’t feeling at least a little panicked._

_He looked down at Alex, her head rested on his lap as she slept. He promised himself to help her through this, whatever that meant; she would do the same for him if their roles were reversed. Probably a lot more gracefully, if he had to admit. They’d get through it. They always had Before, right? The amnesia, the damage from the enderman, the confusion; Steve just hoped it could be fixed._

\---

Sooner than she would have liked, the sun was rising, burning against Alex’s closed eyes. She squeezed them shut harder, trying to block out the light. Why did her head hurt so much? She felt a tap at her shoulder, drawing her from sleep. 

“Alex.”  
Someone was calling her name. She threw her arm over her face, not willing to get up yet,  
“Just five more minutes,” she mumbled.  
“Aw, cmon. You can sleep as much as you want when we get home”

She wasn’t home?  
Alex opened her eyes groggily, disoriented for a moment. She was laying on grass, her head on Steve’s lap, the sky painfully bright above her.  
“Mornin’,” he said, running a hand through his already messy hair with a smile.  
“Um...Heya. You’re looking…awake.” She said, blinking hard to dispel the draw of sleep.  
“And you’re looking beautiful,” He laughed, the sound waking her up a bit.

Alex pushed herself up to sit, her head spinning a bit at the motion. She felt sore all over, her head throbbing where she had hit it against the tree last night.  
“You okay?” Steve said, sounding a bit worried. Alex nodded, pushing aside her nausea.

“I’m fine… just a little dizzy.”  
“Are you up for walking yet, or do you want to wait?” Steve said, his gaze searching her face. She nodded slightly, trying to focus on something other than her headache.  
“I’m ok,” she said, mostly to convince herself. He looked at her hard for another second, forehead creased with concern. She felt a twinge of guilt; she didn’t want to worry him, and she definitely didn’t want to slow them down.  
“Really, I’m good.”

“If you say so.” he trailed off, glancing at her again. “You ready to get going?”  
Alex nodded, closing her eyes for a moment before standing. She was a bit dizzy for a moment, but quickly steadied herself. It was going to be a long day.

\---

The walk was slow, but it ended up not being nearly as terrible as Alex expected.

The path of torches that they were following seemed to go on forever, but the forest was pretty and they had plenty to talk about. In the light of a new day, it dawned on Alex how strange it was that she didn’t know her whole story, and she found herself wishing she could just get her memory back all at once. Sure, she had a good bit of memories, but they didn’t help much. Almost everything she could recall was just a fragment, a quick moment in time that came with almost no context. 

So they talked, Steve filling in her missing memories the best he could. He told her about how they had met by chance one night when he saved her from a skeleton and how they had decided to travel together. He recounted their five years exploring the world together, excitedly explaining all kinds of adventures and places. 

Alex couldn’t remember most of it beyond a few fragmented recollections (and she was sure Steve was exaggerating a _tiny_ bit in some places) but it was nice to hear him talk, a big smile on his face as he described everything. By noon, he had finished recounting a lifetime, ending with them finishing the house they were on the way to now.

“So what happened next?” she prompted, after a moment. It felt like an incomplete story… maybe because there was no clear stopping point. No good explanation for their separation or memory loss. It felt strange for all of it to cut off before something big.

Steve shrugged, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t really know. We explored and travelled together and helped the village, and then… poof.” He made the gesture with his hands. “Nothing else. Every memory kind of cuts off afterwards… I can’t remember anything after that.”

Alex bit her lip, glancing up at the sky. Obviously, she couldn’t provide any answers… she only had fragments of the past to go off of. Still… she hoped they would get to town soon so she could start remembering things a bit better and possibly find the answer she needed.

“Can we stop for a bit?” Steve asked after they’d walked a bit further.  
“Yeah, of course.” They stopped on the edge of a wide field, Steve sitting down and propping his ankle against a log. They’d had to stop a couple of times to let him rest. Alex was a bit worried he wouldn’t be able to make it all the way to the village, but he had assured her more than once that he would rather deal with it now than have to wait out another night in the woods.

“How much further do you think the trail goes?” she said, sitting down next to him.  
“We should be nearing the spruce forest soon,” Steve said, scooting a bit closer to her.  
“After that, it’s only about a half-hour to the village.” Alex nodded thoughtfully, gazing off into the distance. “What’s a spruce forest like?” She asked, leaning against his shoulder. Steve tilted his head a bit, a thoughtful look on his face.

“It’s kind of like the forest we’re in, but instead of oaks, there are all these huge dark trees called spruces; hence, the name.” he chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “They’re really pretty and almost twice the height of these.” He said, waving a hand at the surrounding trees. “The village is built in a valley between a couple of mountains. It makes a pretty little area that’s protected from a couple of sides.”

Alex nodded, trying to picture what the town might look like, with dark wood reaching for the sky around it. She tried but still couldn’t get a good picture. At least not one that seemed… real. She searched her memory for any glimpse of the town, but nothing significant was there. Come to think of it, there wasn’t even the feeling of vague familiarity that had accompanied so many other things that Steve had mentioned to her.

She looked back out over the field, looking for that feeling. She couldn’t sense any kind of familiarity, not even a hint of trying to get past the wall in her mind. Come to think of it, she couldn’t really feel the wall at all. Weird. She really must have hit her head hard. No need to worry about it now, anyway. She’d be recalling it soon enough...

After a moment of sitting in exhausted silence, Steve stood. “Not too much farther. We should get going.”  
“Mhm,” Alex said with a smile, standing up as well and taking another glance at the sun, now past the halfway point in the sky.  
“Besides, the sooner we get home, the sooner I can take a nap.” Alex laughed, tucking a supportive arm back under his shoulder as they started off again.

\---

It didn’t take long before the terrain started changing, the ground sloping downward until they were looking down a steep hill, out over a beautiful valley. Dark trees reached toward the heavens, the forest stretching out as far the eye could see. Alex’s breath caught in her chest again as she took in the sight. Rolling hills and snow-capped mountains formed the skyline, the spruce forest spreading out far beyond her line of sight. 

“It’s gorgeous,” she said softly, pausing to take it all in.  
“Mhm,” Steve said, grinning at Alex. She caught him looking at her, blushing a bit.  
“I meant the forest, you dork,” she said, shoving him playfully.  
“Ohh, well that’s ok too,” he said, laughing. Alex shook her head, grinning all the same.

Steve pointed down the hill toward where the torches were leading.  
“The trail leads this way. That should take us to the south entrance of the village.” Alex nodded, and they set off down the hill, excited to finally be so close.

However, as they reached the bottom of the slope, she realized something was off. As picturesque as the whole scene was, it all felt kind of off. She couldn’t quite lay a finger on what was wrong though… Something was missing. Wait. The memories.

This place felt completely new to Alex. No memories were coming to her, but she had supposedly lived here for months in the Before. She looked around again, a feeling of unease settling in her stomach. 

“Steve, I can’t remember any of this.” He looked down at her, confused.  
“What do you mean?”  
“None of the memories are coming back.” She said, a sense of panic rising in her chest.  
“Nothing?”  
“Nothing.”

None of it was coming back to her, no memories, no exposition. It was like the Before had just… disappeared. She thought harder but found that she couldn’t even feel the wall in her mind anymore. The comforting presence of all her past was just gone. Poof. Nothing.

She dropped Steve’s arm, walking up to one of the towering spruce trees and concentrating hard as she looked up through its canopy. What had made the memories come back before? She lay a palm against the bark, biting her lip. Something was definitely wrong… nothing was happening. 

She took a deep breath, trying to bury the panic that was rising in her.  
“Alex, are you ok? You look a little pale.” She felt Steve’s hand on her arm, but she couldn’t think. Couldn’t move. Where were her memories? Why could she not reach them? 

She picked up a twig from the ground, turning it nervously in her fingers. She was here, she was seeing and feeling and breathing the woods, but nothing was coming back to her. Every second felt completely new, and it terrified her. This wasn’t how it was supposed to work. There was no barrier to her mind; it was gone… along with all the memories behind it.

She snapped the twig in her fist. Her heart was beating fast, the world seeming to close in on her as every moment passed, slower and slower, until she felt she might never catch her breath. Every trace of the Before was gone; she couldn’t feel anything but the fractured recollections she had already found in the past two days. They were painfully small compared to the presence of her foggy past she had grown so accustomed to.

Nothing made sense, and the feeling of panic was getting worse. She was _supposed_ to get her memory back. She was _supposed_ to know where she was now. This was supposed to be a temporary inconvenience, but now… now, she had no idea. Her breath was coming short, her head pounding and mind reeling. Why was this happening? Why? _Why?!_

Everything felt wrong, and before she knew what was happening, she had sunk to the forest floor, the panic gripping her in its claws. She couldn’t breathe. She wanted to run, but she couldn’t even move. She heard a voice, but she couldn’t speak. She was beyond thinking, beyond even her own rationality. Nothing was coming back, she felt so lost, so hopeless, so…

“ _Alex!_ ” 

She was on her feet, Steve holding her upright as tears streamed down her face. “Come on, snap out of it.” Alex blinked hard, sucking in air as the panic attack broke. She looked into Steve’s eyes, concern painted all over his expression. She realized she was trembling, her legs shaking. Had she lost her mind? What was wrong?

Something must have changed in her face because the next moment Steve was wrapping her in a tight hug. “It’s okay. Just breathe.” She took a deep breath in, clinging to him. She was unable to stop the tears, afraid she might fall if he let her go. 

“You’re gonna be okay.” He said firmly, and she wished she had the words to say something, anything back. “Just breathe.”

She shook her head, not knowing what to do. “ _How_?” she choked out, the air catching in her lungs. Steve pulled back a bit, still holding her upright.  
“In and out. Deep breath in, deep breath out.”  
She closed her eyes tight, trying to steady her heartbeat.

That was better. She still felt shaky and panicked, but she could think.  
“It’s going to be okay, Alex.” She just shook her head.  
“Yes, it will. You’re okay.” He said it as if that was the most obvious answer in the world.

She looked down at the ground, shutting her eyes tight. “How?” She said quietly, struggling to choke out words. She felt on the verge of collapse, her legs weak. “My memory is just… gone.” Her voice cracked; saying out loud somehow made it worse- made it even more real. “Who am I even supposed to be without that?”

“Hey look at me,” Steve said gently, wiping away the tears that trickled down her face. She shook her head, still staring at her boots. She couldn’t do this. This couldn’t be real. “Alex.” She didn’t look up. Maybe she never would. 

“Alexandra. Look at me.”

Her breath caught sharply in her chest. She never used her full name. No one did.

She looked into his clear indigo eyes, trying not to break down again. “You’re _you._ ” He said, searching her face. “You’re smart and funny and kind. You’re an adventurer and a thinker and a doer.” She couldn’t hold back her tears. How could that be her?

He pulled her close again, still talking in her ear. “You’re my best friend, and you don’t give up, you don’t let anything stop you from reaching your goals.” She didn’t know what to say. She had lost herself… right? 

He looked down at her, Alex’s already-racing heart breaking a bit more at the look on his face. “This doesn’t change that. You’re going to be okay, even without your memory. You keep going; you keep me going.” Steve’s voice cracked, and he blinked hard. He looked her in the eyes again, and she was startled to see he looked almost as shaken as she felt.

“You’re Alex. _The Alex_. You’re my Alex, and I _know_ you can pull through; even if you don’t realize it now. We’ll figure this out.” He ran a hand through his hair, his voice shaking. She didn’t know what to do or say. She couldn’t breathe, clinging to his words. 

“And I love you. Memory or no.”

His voice held finality. No more questions. No second-guessing. Tears spilled down Alex’s face, the tension leaving her. “I love you too.” She said softly. And she meant it.

Steve leaned down and kissed her, pulling her tightly into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes against the flood of emotions. No memories.  
Just the two of them. 

Maybe this would be okay. Maybe…just maybe... she didn’t need to know everything from the Before. Maybe he was right; she could still be herself, even without knowing the full story.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she pulled back, laughing and crying at the same time. “Thank you.” She said softly, trying to pull herself together. She felt like a shaky wreck, but she also felt… free. Strangely enough, it was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “Anytime,” Steve said gently, smiling back at her. 

“Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _it’s a mental breakdown *cue off key kazoo*_
> 
> In all seriousness oh my goodness I loved writing this, even though I felt bad for Alex XD Something about writing panic attacks is just so unique, with is probably why this is my favourite chapter so far.
> 
> I’m hoping that y’all like this, and I’d love to hear your feedback, cause oh my gosh I’ve spent so many hours on it XD  
> This was originally two chapters, but Friday afternoon I decided that I was actually going to change a lot of plot points, so I’ve been busting my tail to edit it into something coherent XDD
> 
> So sorry if this chapter (and this end note) ran long, I couldn’t help myself :3  
> Tysm for reading you beautiful human! Please have a fabulous week, and dftba :D
> 
> <3 ST


	9. Chapter 9

_The walk felt a lot different after that. They continued in silence, Alex quietly brushing away her tears._

_Steve didn’t push her to talk, just held her close as they walked. He had no idea why her memories had gone. He hated not being able to fix this… hated the broken look on her face. If he could just make it right… somehow._

_But that wasn’t happening. He didn’t think whatever magic this was would just go away if he wished it enough, but it didn’t hurt to hope._

_The area began to look more and more familiar as they moved closer to the edge of the village. Soon, the village wall was in view and they could hear the bustling sounds of the busy town on the other side. It wasn’t long before they came to the southern gate and were ushered through with a nod from the villager that stood guard there._

_Alex craned her head around to look at everything as they walked, silently taking in the village. Steve couldn’t even begin to imagine what she must be feeling, seeing the town they had loved for so long, but not remembering any of it from the Before. As they entered the main road, he started pointing out everything that they passed, trying to explain the best he could._

_“That’s the blacksmith’s; where the villagers make armour and swords and stuff. And over there is the butcher’s, he sells all kinds of meats.” They passed through the town’s centre, villagers gathered around the bell and fountain. (“That’s to warn everybody if there’s an attack”) Soon, they were out of the crowd and passing a small lake that had stands set up all around it._

_“This is the market; the farmers hang out here most of the day to sell their crops,” Steve said as they passed the edge of town, moving onto a dirt path flanked by wheat fields. They passed the bright yellow stands and were soon alone on the path._

_“Hey, you okay?” Steve asked, nudging Alex’s arm. “You look like you’ve seen a ghast,”  
“Wha- oh, I’m… I’m fine,” she said in a wholly unconvincing tone.  
“You sure about that.?” She nodded, biting her lip. “Yeah, just… exhausted I guess.” He looked at her hard, positive that couldn’t be all of it. “It’s just… a lot to take in, y’know?” She looked up at him, the sadness in her eyes tangible. He nodded, putting an arm around her.  
“Yeah, I know. It’s going to be okay though. We aren’t far.” She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a second. “Come on, I’m sure Max will be excited to see you.” _

_She tilted her head, giving him a confused look. “Max? Who’s that?” Steve chuckled a bit, trying to remind himself that she still was missing so many details. “Max is a dog; just wait and see.”  
“Okay then,” she said, her tone confused but accepting. _

_They passed through the familiar fields, the path lined with wildflowers and tall grass. It was peaceful, the sunny lane and the gentle sound of their footsteps. Steve wondered why he didn’t take more time to stroll the paths instead of flying everywhere. Maybe he would walk a bit more once he got his ankle healed up…_

_A few moments later, they reached the bend in the road, the tall wheat stalks giving way to bright grass. Up ahead lay the house, its dark oak facade nestled against the side of a small cliff. The sound of rushing water greeted them from the small waterfall in the garden, a few chickens scattered about the yard._

_“Welcome home, Alex.”_

\---

She found herself gasping, taking in the whole scene. “It’s beautiful!”

The house and everything around it was sunlit and inviting. A rollicking garden lay at the base of a tall cliff, a few small buildings and a barn scattered around. The house itself was built upon a low-hanging ledge, sweeping vines and greenery growing up the side of the rock face of the cliff. 

Alex and Steve mounted the curved stairs that led to the front door, stepping into the cool shadow of the upper balcony. Steve pushed open the oak door, showing the warm interior, but before they could step in, they were greeted by an excited bark. A white blur rocketed across the room and out the door, leaping up onto Steve.

“Hey, Max!” Steve said, laughing as he pushed the wolfdog’s paws off of him. “Look who’s back!” The excited puppy turned and seeing Alex let out another ecstatic bark. He jumped up onto her, causing her to lose her balance. Both dog and girl fell to the ground, Max happily licking her face. “Hey, okay! Okay, I get it,” she said, laughing as she shoved him off her. 

“Someone’s excited to see you.” Steve laughed, offering her a hand. “Apparently,” she said, smiling for the first time that afternoon as she stood. Max’s tail thumped against the porch, still nuzzling Alex’s hand. He was large, his head reaching her knees, but he didn’t seem to know his own size. “I know, it’s very nice to meet you, Max,” she said, petting his head. “Care to come in?” Steve asked, holding the door open for her.

Alex stepped inside, looking around the warmly lit room. The door was in the right corner of the room, a staircase leading upstairs directly in front of them. The floor was made of spruce planks, with a light grey carpet spread out in the middle of the room. A small bookshelf was tucked under the stairs, a workbench shoved unceremoniously to the side.

In the far corner was an unlit fireplace with a small sitting area made up of a dark blue couch and a few stools. A set of shelves overflowing with books, tools, and even a few plants decorated the corner. The whole room was open and inviting, sunlight from the window mingling with the soft glow of hanging lanterns.

Alex walked around the room, passing through a small arch into a smaller, unfinished room. The floor here was some sort of polished stone, the walls lined with chests and all kinds of strange blocks and contraptions. A well-lit stairway led down to what she assumed to be the mines, the entrance flanked by a pair of armour stands. 

“What do you think?” Steve asked with a smile, standing at the doorway between the rooms. “It’s wonderful,” she said with a smile, still gazing around. She gestured to the array of blocks “I want to learn what all of these do.” Max barked again as if approving of the idea, trotting up to sit at Alex’s feet. “I’m gonna grab a healing potion from upstairs, but I’m sure Max can teach you for now,” Steve chuckled, starting toward the stairs.

Max barked happily, darting past them to bound up the stairs two at a time. “I don’t think he likes that idea,” Alex laughed, walking out of the workspace back into the main room. “Maybe he just wants to finish the tour,” Steve laughed, leading her up the stairway. 

Alex ducked under a low beam as she mounted the top step, a panting Max greeting her. She glanced around, a bit surprised to find the southern side of the room open. Instead of doors there where two tall arches leading out onto a balcony. A cool breeze drifted through the room, and she could see the golden glow of sunset falling over the gardens below.

The rest of the room was sparse, a bed with a warm red blanket thrown over it sat in the corner, a large bookcase opposite it. A few chests lined the walls, and three sets of different coloured armour stood vigilant against the back wall. Above the armour was an array of tools and weapons; swords, pickaxes, and a few she didn’t even know. 

She walked across the open space in the middle of the room to the weapons wall, running her fingers over a long teal weapon with three prongs at the end. “What is this?” she asked, surprised to find the thing humming slightly at her touch as if it were alive. “That is a trident,” Steve said, lifting it off the wall. “Your trident actually,” he laughed, handing it to her. 

“When I first woke up, I couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t work for me, but if memory serves, it wasn’t really supposed to.” Alex turned it over in her hands, the buzzing feeling even stronger. “How does it work?” She asked softly, examining it. “Come and see,” Steve said, walking out onto the balcony.

“Throw it out there, “ he said, pointing toward the tree line below them. “How will I get it back?” she asked, sceptical. “Just watch,” he said, leaning against the balcony. She turned the weapon over one more time, gripping it tight. She pulled back her arm, aiming the prongs out toward the open. 

Alex hurled the trident, the weapon slicing through the evening air and landing somewhere out in the forest. “What was that supposed to do?” she asked with a laugh, waving out off the balcony. “I didn’t even see it land!” 

“That’s okay,” Steve said with a grin. “Now call it back to you.”  
“What?”  
“Hold out your hand, and call it back. Like this,” He reached out his arm as if expecting something to fall into his hand. “You just have to focus on it and want it to come back to you,” he laughed. Alex raised an eyebrow, reaching out as he’d demonstrated. “I feel so stupid,” she laughed, shaking her head.

“Focus, I’ve seen you do this a million times. You’ve got it!” Alex took a deep breath, closing her eyes. What the heck was she even doing? She focused on the picture of the trident in her head. ‘Come on you stupid thing,’

Suddenly, she felt a tug at the back of her mind, the weapon landing squarely in her hand a split second later. She closed her fist around it, her eyes flying open. “What?!” She shouted in surprise, turning to Steve.

“Told ya,” he said with a grin, walking back inside nonchalantly. Alex blinked, looking back down at the trident. There was so much she had to learn, but this- this was pretty awesome. She wandered back inside, turning the trident over in her hands. “What else is magic that I should know about?” She asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“All kinds of things,” Steve said, pulling something out of a chest in the corner. “Like these,” he said, holding up a bottle full of a pink liquid that seemed to be glowing. “This is a potion of healing,” He said, coming and sitting next to her. “It’ll take care of almost any injury, including this sprain.”

Steve gestured to his twisted ankle, unstopping the bottle.  
“Just watch,” he said with a smile, tipping back the potion. He drank the whole thing, wrinkling his nose as he finished. “Not the most tasteful drink, but it does the job.” He rolled up the leg of his jeans, revealing his bruised ankle. Alex winced, feeling bad for him, but her sympathy turning to awe as she watched the bruises quickly fade away.

“How- what?” she stuttered, confused and excited. “That was amazing!” Steve laughed, putting the empty bottle back in a chest at the end of the bed and pulling out another potion. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

“Here, take one. It’ll probably get rid of your headache” Steve unstopped the cork, handing her the potion. Alex took it carefully, tipping it back. She had to fight the urge to cough; it tasted oddly metallic and burned her throat.

“Ugh, that’s disgusting-” she paused her complaint, blinking in surprise. A warm tingling feeling spread through her, and she watched as one of the faint bruises on her arm melted away. She could feel the pressure in her head releasing, the other small aches and bruises fading. In a moment, she felt as good as new.

“Wow,” she breathed, looking up at Steve. He laughed, smiling widely.  
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.”  
“That is so cool!” Alex looked around the room, wondering how many other things here where magical. She stood and pulled a book off the shelf, flipping through a few pages. “So do these do anything special?” Steve laughed, shaking his head. “No, most things aren’t magic. Although there are a few books used for enchanting.” 

“Enchanting?”  
“Yeah, it’s kind of like giving things special powers,” he said with a shrug.  
“It’s kind of hard to explain, but I’ll show you tomorrow when we can go outside without mobs,” he said with a yawn, gesturing to the now-dark sky outside. Alex had barely even realised the time passing.

Steve pointed her toward clean clothes, going downstairs to change and fix his elytra before turning in. Alex took a moment to sit and look around, still reeling from everything that had happened. The enderman’s attack, her fragile memory disappearing… it all felt like something that had happened long ago. Weeks seemed to have past, but it had only been three days since she had woken up to this strange world.

As Alex pulled off her boots and crawled into bed she finally let out a sigh of relief, exhaustion setting in. She closed her eyes, smiling to herself as she heard Steve climb into bed as well (followed closely by Max, who flopped down between them). Everything here was strange and new, but for the first time since waking up, everything felt right. After all, there was plenty to look forward to, and so much more to learn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, enjoy the peaceful chapter while you can XD this won’t happen for a while lol
> 
> Alex _*totally*_ doesn’t have a trident because this entire story was inspired by the BPS Village Raid animation ;D
> 
> In all seriousness tho, I draw inspo from pretty much everything I read and watch, and this story would probably still be a couple stray notes in a composition journal had that video not sparked an argument between me and my sister about whether Steve and Alex are a “real” ship.
> 
> Also, before I forget, I wanna just say all the potion mechanics that are going to be in this story are directly influenced by slingading (if you haven’t read their Minecraft AUs I highly suggest it, esp. if you’re into the HeroSteve ship. They’re a phenomenal author, and this probably won’t be the first time I steal their explanation of Minecraft mechanics XD)
> 
> I’m trying to keep a list of everyone who inspires/influences certain parts of the story, so expect more notes like this as I get better at keeping track of who I’m ripping off XD
> 
> Last but not least, sorry this chapter is shorter than usual. I’ve been going through a bit of a writing block and I spent more time building their house in Minecraft than actually writing about it ;w;
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, and as always, feedback is appreciated :3  
> Dftba, you gorgeous human!!  
> <3 ST


	10. Chapter 10

_Alex opened her eyes._

_She was not home._

_She didn’t know where she was, but it felt… familiar._

_The sky was a void, hazy and dark._

_The ground was a strange yellowish stone, and there was almost no light._

_As she slowly looked around, Alex suddenly realized why this place felt familiar._

_This was the same place she’d seen when the enderman attacked, down to the strange feeling that filled her chest with dread._

_She turned and found herself faced with a field of dark, towering pillars, dim light coming from slowly spinning crystals at their peaks._

_The only sound came from the hundreds of endermen, all wandering aimlessly around, talking in hushed whispers and warbled sentences._

_An enderman nearby met Alex’s eye, and her breath caught in her lungs, bracing for the terrible scream and attack that she knew must be coming._

_Incredibly, nothing happened._

_The enderman held her gaze but did nothing. It walked forward a few steps, warbling something unintelligible in its own language. Alex relaxed a bit, still nervous, but not as scared._

_“What do you want?” she asked quietly, unable to look away from the enderman’s glowing purple eyes._

_The creature warbled something in a tone that sounded almost concerned, taking another step toward her._

_Alex stood her ground, her heart pounding as the creature drew nearer. “Why am I here?” she asked, raising her voice a bit._

_The enderman paused, tilting its head as if thinking. It warbled something shorter, its tone quizzical._

_“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Alex said, finding herself stepping forward, despite her better judgement. She wanted to know what the creature was thinking… even if it may not be the best idea._

_The enderman took another short step, now close enough that she could reach out and touch it. It looked down at her and lifted its arms awkwardly._

_Alex glanced down, finally breaking eye contact to find the enderman holding out a small rose, its spindly arms awkwardly grasping the offering._

_She reached forward hesitantly, taking the rose with a small smile and looking back up._

_To her surprise, she found that the first enderman was not the only one there. A crowd of the creatures had gathered around her in a loose circle, all silently watching._

_The first enderman looked at her again, telling her something else._

_Alex wasn’t sure what it meant, but she felt the emotion behind it._

_That voice was almost… melancholy. As if this word stood for something that was lost. It was full of pain and grief, and maybe, just maybe; the tiniest inkling of hope._

_The enderman gazed down at Alex, and she got the distinct feeling it was trying to tell her something._

_“I still don’t understand. I… I don’t know what you want.”_

_The enderman nodded, looking around the group that was steadily growing bigger. It warbled something and seemed to get a few replies back._

_Then, as if it had reached an agreement, the enderman held out its hand. An offering._

_Alex waited a moment, unsure._

_She reached out hesitantly, laying her hand in the enderman’s thin palm. She felt a tug in the back of her mind, similar to how it had felt to regain her memories._

_The creature looked as if it were about to say something, but suddenly, the area was illuminated by a bright spotlight._

_Alex looked up, blinking in the sudden brightness. The crystals on the towers where illuminated, casting beams out toward a dark patch of sky._

_A terrible roar filled the air, and the brief feeling of peace was shattered, the connection lost._

_The enderman met her eyes one last time, a look of distress on its dark face._

_And then it was gone, teleporting away and leaving no answers._

_A terrifying roar joined the frantic screams of the endermen._

_Chaos seemed to bear down on them, and Alex tried to run but found she couldn’t. Her legs were unwilling to move._

_She felt an agonising sense of dread and fear engulfing her again, and before she knew it the shadow was upon her, the world filling with devastating purple fire and pain._

\---

Alex sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for air. She ran a shaking hand through her hair, disoriented. The strange place was gone, replaced only by the dark bedroom. A single lantern flickered in the cool breeze coming from the open balcony, the sound of a lonesome cow off in the distance stirring her.

She let her hand drop, closing her eyes to still the lingering panic filling her lungs. The dream (nightmare?) was gone, the voice of the endermen still ringing in her ears. It had felt so real… more so than any dream she could recall (which granted, wasn’t many, but it still felt like an outlier)

Alex glanced around, frantic energy pulling at her, despite her best attempts to calm down. Everything was dark and quiet, but it just made feeling of anxiety all the louder in her head. She needed to go, do something. Alex quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Steve. She knew he would probably be happy to talk if she woke him up, but she couldn’t bring herself to make him worry more. Besides, she was fine... right? With a sigh, Alex walked out to the balcony, wishing her heart would stop beating so stupid fast. What did she have left to be panicked about? Max lifted his head sleepily, watching her go from his spot at the foot of the bed. He considered her for a moment before jumping lightly to the ground to follow her. Alex leaned against the railing, head in her hands, heat creeping up her neck despite the chill night air. She gazed out over the well-lit gardens below, out into the darkened wheat fields. Were the endermen out there? Was there one waiting for her, or was the dream unrelated to anything real?

“Get a grip, Alex,” she whispered into her palms, refusing to give the dream more power over her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft whine from Max. He butted his head gently against the back of her knee, wagging his tail sympathetically. She smiled down at him, her mind calming for a moment as she knelt to look the wolfdog in the eyes.

“Hey bud,” she said, stroking his thick fur absentmindedly. He whined softly, licking her chin in support. “Sorry to wake you up,” she said in a whisper, grateful for the company. Already the panic was leaving her, thoughtfulness taking its place. 

“You wouldn’t happen to know what just happened, would you?” she said with a small grin, ruffling his fur. Max panted, his tongue lolling happily. “Didn’t think so,” she said with a small chuckle, starting to stand.

Max suddenly went rigid, staring at something past Alex’s shoulder. He let out a low growl, teeth bared. “What is it, boy?” She turned slowly, following his gaze. Down below, standing on the flat roof of the barn was an enderman, a rose clutched in its spindly arms.

Her heart stopped, and she quickly averted her eyes just as the creature turned, looking up at the balcony. She drew in a shaky breath, watching the enderman out of the corner of her eye. Max was still growling, a low, deep sound that sent shivers through her bones.

The enderman from her dream was here… was it a sign? Alex glanced back at the creature, careful not to look it in the eyes, even from a distance. It wasn’t moving, and she could feel its gaze fixed on her. She looked down at Max, still on the defensive. This couldn’t be a coincidence… not so close to her nightmare.

But then again, there was only one way to find out for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Max is the only thing saving this chapter from being outright angst XD 
> 
> \---
> 
> So, a bit of a behind the scenes update; I typically write anywhere from 0-5 chapters of this a week, then release one chapter every Monday. The original goal was to have a backlog of chapters to allow myself wiggle room to write a cohesive storyline and still have the ability to take breaks and work on other stuff if I need it.
> 
> Lately however, I’ve been stuck in a rut trying to write what will either become chapter 15 of _The New Dream_ or the 35th edition to my “cut out writing” document, and it’s left me without a ton of chapters in the backlog. That combined with the fact that I’m now also putting a lot of time into irl issues and 4 other projects has me a bit worried about how long I’m going to be able to run this, and I really don’t want this story to fall behind my own perfectionist standards. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep this upload schedule going, and I may even have to put this fic on hiatus if I can’t get over the writers block. 
> 
> Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but I’ll keep y’all updated :)
> 
> To anyone still around to read, Tysm for sticking with me. Ik this isn’t a very conventional story that a lot of people are anxiously awaiting an update to, but its my baby, and it matters a lot to me regardless. Tysm for taking some time out of your day to stop by, and please don’t ever forget to be awesome :)
> 
> <3 ST


	11. Chapter 11

Alex quietly made her way back inside the house, Max on her heels. “Stay boy,” she said in a low whisper, lifting her trident off the wall. Better to be prepared than sorry. 

She quickly ruffled the wolfdog’s fur before darting downstairs, not willing to waste time and miss the enderman. This could be her only shot... 

Max watched from the top step of the staircase as she pulled on her boots and hastily tied her hair back. The puppy whined a bit, dancing around. “Shhh, don’t wake up Steve,” she said quietly, giving Max one last meaningful look as she slipped out the front door.

The air outside was crisp, and the garden looked eerily different under the pale moonlight. Torches flickered dimly around the worn paths, warding off any mobs from the area. She kept her eyes to the ground, searching for the enderman out of her peripheral vision. The enderman in the dream hadn’t attacked, but she wasn’t sure if that would be the same in real life. 

Despite her excitement, Alex was not ready for a repeat fight. 

She reached the barn, cautiously looking up at the roof, but the enderman was nowhere to be seen.  
Her heart was pounding, nervous adrenaline driving her. Had she missed it?

Suddenly, a strange warbling sound came from behind her, and she spun, gasping sharply as she was faced with the dark torso of the enderman. She didn’t dare look up, too nervous to risk angering it, and instead found herself staring down at a rose clutched tightly in the creature’s hands.

It was identical to the one from her dream, slightly wilted with worn red petals. Was that sign?

The enderman warbled something else, its tone familiar. She hesitated, her limbs frozen and heart racing faster than ever. The creature took a step closer, awkwardly thrusting the rose out toward her.

She slowly, slowly reached out her left hand, gripping her trident tightly in the other. She paused, fingertips barely brushing the stem of the flower. ‘This was such a bad idea. I can’t do this,’

Her mind screamed at her, but she ignored it. The whole world seemed to slow as she grasped the flower cautiously. 

The enderman released the stem, moving even closer. 

The creature towered over Alex, and she couldn’t bring herself to breathe, just holding the flower out carefully. Light green particles danced around the enderman, drifting lazily across her vision. That was odd… she could have sworn they were supposed to be purple. But that was the least of her worries.

“Why are you here?” She asked softly, all too aware of what a precarious situation she was in.

The enderman said nothing but instead placed a single spindly hand on her shoulder.

Alex tensed, closing her eyes as she flinched back.

She felt a slight tug at the back of her mind, but nothing else happened. 

Slowly, ever so slowly, she opened her eyes, only to realise she wasn’t in the garden anymore. 

_Alex was standing in the shadow of an archway, looking into a room lit by pools of lava. A short stairway led up toward… who knew what. The enderman was next to her, its hand still resting on her shoulder._

_She thought briefly to panic, but she was too intrigued by her surroundings to care. This place felt so so familiar… had she been here in the Before?_

_Almost as she thought it, a sound came from down the hall behind her. Footsteps._

_Her jaw dropped as she watched two figures emerge from the end of the darkened hallway._

_A man and a woman, both looking dirty and battle-worn. The man carried a cracked sword and wore a dark cyan shirt. The woman brandished a bow that glowed faintly, illuminating her fiery red hair._

_It was Steve and Alex… but how could that be possible? Alex looked down at her hands, disoriented at seeing herself standing just a few blocks ahead. This version of herself looked so much more confident,_

_She realised in shock why the place must feel so familiar; this was a memory. Her memory._

_Alex watched as her past self walked through the archway, up the steps onto a sort of platform._

_“There’s only three missing.” Alex blinked in shock, hearing her own voice.  
“Just like it said there would be.” Past Steve sounded tired but determined. Alex had to wonder what they (she?) had been through before this._

_“So we just… complete the pattern?”  
“Do you have any better ideas?”  
Past Alex shook her head, pulling out something from her inventory, stepping forward and placing it down. A faint tinkling sound echoed around the room._

_Before Alex could get closer to investigate, a loud bang sounded, making her jump a bit._

_Past Steve glanced at Past Alex, holding out his hand.  
“To the end, right?”  
Alex watched as they took each other’s hand, feeling like she was intruding on something, despite knowing that she was watching her old self._

_Steve and Alex held each other’s gaze for a long moment before turning forward.  
“To the end.”_

_Hand in hand, they both jumped forward, disappearing in an instant._

_Alex stared at where they had been. She knew what had happened; Even with her past mostly missing, this fragment had been there._

_She stepped forward hesitantly, the enderman following. She had to make sure._

_Walking up the short set of steps, the gateway came into view. Stars, captured within the frame. Infinity, swirling right before her._

_“Where did they- er, we- go?”_

_She asked, turning to the enderman. Why had it chosen to show her this moment in particular?_

_The enderman didn’t say anything, just put a hand back on Alex’s shoulder._

She blinked, and in a second she was back in the garden as if she had never even moved. 

Alex glanced up at the enderman, too perplexed to “What was that?”

The creature put a hand on her shoulder carefully.

**need you help.**

Alex jumped back. She could have sworn the voice had spoken in her head.  
The enderman reached out toward her, warbling something indistinguishable.

Alex held her ground unsure of what to do. She was nervous but intrigued.  
She looked down at the rose in her hands. Was it possible the enderman really was here for her?

The enderman reached out again, placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder. 

**not be afraid.**

The sound of the voice in her mind was strange, but she was ready for it this time.

“Why shouldn’t I be?” 

Alex asked, her voice a bit stronger.  
Instead of responding, the enderman crouched, and before she could turn away, it had met her eyes.

The creature stared at her, but instead of screaming bloody murder, it seemed to almost… smile.

Alex froze, unsure what was different with the enderman this time. Last time she had looked one of them in the eyes…

The eyes.

They were a shining blue-green, a cool calming colour far removed from their usual disturbing purple.

**need you help. open gate.**

The enderman repeated, giving her a purposeful look.

“A gate? Is that what you showed me?” 

The enderman nodded, but Alex still felt unsure. Could she trust it? 

Her mind screamed no, but she was already too curious. The enderman hadn’t attack, right? It had even come with a peace offering. And if it could show her memories… no. She wouldn’t dare hope for something like that. 

The enderman teleported a few blocks away, the strange sound causing Alex to snap out of her thoughts. She clutched the rose tightly, biting her lip. The enderman teleported again, a few blocks ahead, and turned back to her. 

Did the thing want her to follow it? She took a few tentative steps forward, meeting the creature’s shifting teal eyes. It would be okay, right? After all, it wasn’t like the other creatures. The enderman teleported again, and she followed, a few steps behind.

They came to one of the small outer buildings, and she realized a strange, roaring, pulsing noise. She risked a glance up, started to find a weird kind of gateway in front of her. Strange purple energy pulsed within a dark frame made up of what looked to be the same block as the towers in the void. Heat and magical energy radiated from the spot, the sensation strange.

The enderman turned toward the gateway, then back to her, silhouetted against the bright purple light. “Do you want me to go… in there?”

The creature seemed to nod, reaching out again.

**little time. need key.**

Alex looked down at the rose in her hands again. The enderman needed a key, but she wasn’t sure why. It had acted just like this in her dream… maybe it had been trying to tell her about this gateway and this… key before the shadow had ended the vision. 

She looked a bit closer at the portal, biting her lip. The design looking intentional; as if the small structure had been designed with this gateway in mind. If it was in her own back yard, what could be so bad about it?

The enderman gestured to the portal again, warbling softly. Alex looked up at the creature, searching its dark green eyes. She had made up her mind.

“Okay. I’ll help you. We’ll find this… key.”

She gripped her trident tightly, facing the gateway. With one last glance to the enderman, she stepped into the portal, and in a moment, she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm I wonder what could possibly go wrong with this... oh well, I’m sure it’s nothing ;)
> 
> Love y’all so much, feedback is appreciated, and please don’t forget to be awesome!!  
> <3 ST


	12. Chapter 12

_Max would not shut up._

_Steve pretended he didn’t hear the wolfdog’s whining and tried to go back to sleep, but Max was persistent. Steve buried his head under a pillow, assuming if the puppy was ignored long enough he would go back to sleep and stop pestering him._

_The sound paused, and Steve breathed a sigh of relief, assuming Max had given up and was almost back to sleep when the dog leapt on top of him. “Max!” he whisper-shouted, grunting as he shoved the wolfdog over. “What do you want? It’s the middle of the night!”_

_Max barked, the sound jarring in the otherwise quiet darkness. “Chill, you’re going to wake up Alex,” Steve whispered, putting a hand over the dog’s muzzle. He turned, checking to see if she was still asleep, but was startled to find her side of the bed empty._

_“Alex?” he called, rolling out of bed. Max pawed at the sheets, giving another insistent whimper. Steve looked the dog in the eye, confused. “Do you know where she is?” He asked, feeling strangely nervous._

_Max leapt off the bed, bounding towards the balcony a few steps before looking back at Steve, his head tilted quizzically. Steve followed the wolfdog outside, glancing around. “She’s not here Max,” He said, looking back at the dog. Max wasn’t paying attention; he was looking off in between the rails, ears held high and muscles rigid. The wolfdog let out a low growl, looking back at Steve with a face full of concern (if dogs even could be concerned that is)._

_Steve followed Max’s gaze, scanning the yard. His stomach dropped as he caught sight of Alex, her red hair shining brightly against the night. An enderman stood in front of her, a hand tightly gripping her shoulder._

_He froze, taking in the scene. Alex held her trident in a defensive grip at her side, eyes to the ground. Steve couldn’t tell what was happening or what the enderman was doing, but he wasn’t about to sit by and wait for it to hurt her._

_Steve rushed back inside, Max running in nervous circles around him. Not helpful._

_He quickly threw on his boots, reaching for a sword off the wall. As an afterthought, he hastily put on some armour, not checking to see what enchants or durability they had left. He practically fell down the stairs, Max right behind him, and threw open the door._

_Steve jumped down the main walk up to the house, hiding in the tall grass at the bottom. He wasn’t about to startle the enderman and risk it hurting Alex, so instead, he cautiously darted from cover to cover, watching them carefully._

_Suddenly, the enderman teleported, only a few blocks ahead of him. Steve ducked inside the nearest building (a small pavilion with piles of books and an enchantment table inside) and held his breath. He could faintly hear Alex’s voice and peered around the doorframe to try and see what was happening. She was stepping closer to the enderman again, and before he could even think to move, both the creature and Alex had moved around the corner of the cliff face._

_Steve left his cover, running onto the path. The only thing that way was a dead end to the nether portal. A total bottleneck._

_He rounded the corner just in time to see Alex approach the portal, the enderman standing to her side. He opened his mouth to yell, warn her, say anything, but it was too late._

_“Wait!”_

_The enderman turned slowly toward Steve, the sound of the Nether portal ringing in his ears. For a moment, they stood in complete silence. Then all hell broke loose._

_Before he could look away, he was already within the Enderman’s gaze, a terrible screech coming from its unhinged jaw. Steve’s stomach dropped as the creature teleported out of sight._

_He raised his sword, eyeing his surroundings, his heart pounding in his throat. Where had it gone?!_

_Tiny puffs of purple smoke spread like sparks around the clearing as the creature teleported at random. Steve gripped his sword, but in the blink of an eye, the enderman had tumbled on top of him._

_He whirled, bringing his sword around, but the enderman ducked. He charged, grabbing the creature by the arm, but his momentum caught them both off balance._

_Both man and monster disappeared with a pop as they fell into the portal, and the yard was plunged into silence once again._

\---

Alex stepped into the glowing purple haze, a strange feeling of claustrophobia washing over her. She couldn’t see anything, just a wall of swirling purple that gave her vertigo. 

The warm tingling sensation she had gotten at first quickly became uncomfortably hot, and in moments she was sure she was going to hurl if she couldn’t get out. Her head was pounding, the purple glow seeming to sap the energy from her. Had she walked into a trap?

Right when she thought she couldn’t stand any longer, it was over.

Alex tumbled out of the portal, disoriented. The heat washed over her as she tried to steady herself, even worse than it had been in the portal She paused for a moment, hands on her knees as she took in her surroundings.

She was standing on a plateau of sorts, made entirely of a strange red rock. The air was hazy and stifling, heat radiating from every surface. A ceiling of the same red material was above her head, the plane seeming to drop off into dark red fog not too far off. 

To the left of where she was standing, the red rock gave way to a strange scarlet grass, and she could see weird red trees growing a bit farther off. To the right was a wall of lava blocking most of her view.

She glanced around, unsure what she was doing. The heat was nigh unbearable, and she didn’t know where to go next. Alex glanced down at her trident, the first feelings of doubt beginning to creep up on her. Maybe she should have been more prepared...the enderman still had yet to make an appearance in this hellscape. Could it even travel through the gateway?

She took a few tentative steps forward, clutching her trident. Maybe she should go back…

Alex turned to go back to the portal (which was a lot farther away than she thought she had walked) but before she could get close, something else came through.

A terrible screech filled her ears, the sound of an angry enderman. The creature rolled to a stop feet away from her, grinding to a halt. Its eyes were blue-green, but it was snarling. Alex quickly backed up, eyes wide as she took in the scene. The enderman turned toward her, and she felt her stomach drop, but it only nodded toward her, turning back to its target.

A target that she realized just happened to be Steve.

He stood shakily to his feet, having landed in front of the portal, and raised his sword warily. Steve’s expression was a mixture of panic and determination. He looked as if he had just rolled out of bed and into the fight. He wore a hodgepodge of armour; a pair of faintly glowing gold boots, a bright blue chest plate and helmet, all thrown haphazardly on top of his dark blue striped pyjamas.

His eyes latched onto Alex’s for a split second, a look of relief washing over his face. 

Steve opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but his words were cut off by the enderman screaming. The creature teleported behind Steve, swinging hard at him. He ducked, parrying with a jab at the creature with his sword. Alex stood in shock, numb as she watched the creature and Steve fight.

Neither could land a hit on the other, but it was clear that the enderman had the upper hand, teleporting sporadically around. Steve tried to move toward Alex, but the enderman popped up between them, sending Steve flying to the ground with a powerful blow.

Alex snapped out of her daze, feeling returning to her limbs. 

“Stop!!” she shouted, unsure what to do. The enderman landed another hit on Steve, and he rolled away, back on his feet. Alex needed to stop this. She couldn’t let them kill each other. 

The enderman teleported in again, and Alex saw her opening. She darted into the middle of the fight, raising her trident to block Steve’s sword mid-air and narrowly dodging the enderman’s punch. 

“BOTH OF YOU _STOP_!”

She hollered, arms raised defensively. The fight drew to a grinding halt, both Steve and the enderman staring at her. 

Lava popped. Fires crackled in the distance. The only sound was Steve and Alex’s panting, the enderman standing stoically. 

Alex cautiously lowered her arms, eyes darting between them.   
“Wonderful. Now, for the love of all things cube, could someone please explain what the hell is going on here?”

The enderman put a hand on her shoulder, warbling in a low, defensive tone. 

**he mean hurt. we protect Alex.**

“Get your hands off her.” Steve glared at the enderman, gripping his sword tightly.

Alex blinked at them, a bit surprised that the creature knew her name. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I think you guys are confused.”

“I don’t think I’m confused. This thing is trying to kill us, and I’m not going to let it hurt you.”  
Steve stepped closer to her side, brandishing his sword at the enderman.

The creature glared back at him, stepping in between Steve and Alex with an arm raised threateningly. 

“Hey, whoa, stop that.” Alex pushed in between them, starting to realize the issue. “Nobody needs to kill each other, okay? We’re all on the same side.” 

The enderman crossed its arms, warbling indignantly. Steve pointed to the creature with his sword. “What do you mean, ‘the same side’? That thing just tried to kill both of us! Or have you not been paying attention?” The enderman warbled something aggravated, stepping forward. 

Alex held up her arms, stopping both of them in their tracks. “That thing is trying to protect me, same as you. It thinks you’re the one trying to kill everyone.” Steve crossed his arms, his expression nervous and at least a little annoyed. The enderman warbled in a confused tone, looking between Alex and Steve. 

“That’s ridiculous! I’m here to save you!” Alex sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.   
“I know that Steven, but it doesn't.” She glanced up at the enderman, who seemed to be listening intently. “And no surprise, you came at it with a sword.” Steve pinched his lips, looking between Alex and the enderman.

“Are you positive it isn’t a threat?” He took her hand, forehead creased in concern. “It didn’t brainwash you or anything?” Alex nodded, both endeared and annoyed. “Steve, I chose to follow it.”  
“Not knowing it was leading you into the Nether!” 

Alex closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Look, I know this sounds weird, but I think it needs my help.” Steve glanced back at the creature, who was watching the conversation huffily. “It showed me a memory; my memory. And… I want to help it. I don’t think it wants to hurt anyone.” She could see him turning this over in his mind as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.  
“Trust me, Steve.”

He bit his lip, looking back at Alex.

“Okay.”  
“Thank you! I promise you won’t-”  
Steve held up a hand, cutting her off with a sigh.

“Tell it I won’t fight, but if it even thinks about hurting you-” Alex didn’t let him finish, pulling him into a bear hug with a sigh of relief.   
“I love you,”  
Steve wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she could feel how fast his heart was pounding through his armour.  
“I love you too. Let’s hope you know what you’re doing.”

Alex turned to the enderman, meeting its gaze. The creature seemed to be less mad and more intrigued, tilting its head at Alex. She took a deep breath, confident that Steve wouldn’t attack for the time being.

“Okay. Let’s start over. Mister Enderman, this is Steve.”  
The enderman looked him up and down, his eyes narrowing a bit.

“He’s a very good friend of mine, and I know how it looked before, but he really isn't here to hurt anyone.” The enderman looked sceptical at this, putting a hand on Alex’s shoulder. Steve stiffened, but she put a hand over his, pushing down his sword.

**is Alex sure? he has sword for hurt.**

The enderman sounded concerned, its voice in Alex’s mind ironically taking on the same tone as Steve’s.  
“I know he has a sword, but he promises he won’t use it.” She said, trying to put as much certainty in her voice as she could. Steve raised an eyebrow, but Alex ploughed on, determined to make them get along. 

“He only fought because he thought you were here to kill me or something,” she said. The enderman huffed in disdain.

**we protect Alex. never hurt.**

“I know you wouldn’t do that, but he didn’t. He wants to protect me too.” 

The creature looked back at Steve, a strange look on its face. It put his hand on Steve’s shoulder, tilting its head to meet his eyes.

Steve pulled back, looking a bit panicked. He turned toward Alex, eyes wide. “It- Did you hear it? It _spoke_. In my _head_.”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. “Make sense now?” Steve blinked up at the creature, baffled. “I- is it safe?”   
“Yeah, it’s safe.” Alex laughed. “What did it say?”  
Steve blinked at her, a shocked expression on his face. “I… I didn’t really give it a chance to speak. In my _head_.” Alex giggled, shaking her head. “What?! It surprised me, okay?”

The enderman looked between them, seeming to understand what was going on. It put a hand back on Steve’s shoulder. This time, he held still, meeting the enderman’s eyes despite his obvious nervousness.

The silence drew out around them as Alex watched the silent conversation.

Finally, Steve nodded, a serious look on his face. “Yes, I understand.” He glanced over at Alex, holding her gaze with his deep indigo eyes. “Of course I will.”

Before she could ask any questions, the enderman came and put a hand on Alex’s shoulder, its eyes thoughtful.

**Alex friend also protect. Follow?**

She glanced between the enderman and Steve, glad to see some sort of agreement had been reached.   
“Um, yes. Yes. Lead the way.”

Without another sound, the enderman started walking off into the hazy distance, toward the blue forest, not even bothering to check behind it. The creature knew she was coming.

Alex took Steve’s arm, looking up at him. “What did it have to say?”

He took her hand, giving her a slightly anxious smile. “It said it needed your help… and asked if I would protect you.”

“And?”

“And of course I said yes.”

He leaned down and kissed her gently, catching her a bit off guard.   
Alex had expected him to press her to go back, and while he still seemed nervous, he was coming with her. Just knowing that let her relax, knowing that someone was watching her back.

Too soon for her liking, Steve pulled back, gesturing toward the enderman, which was already a good bit ahead.  
“Nothing like going on an adventure through hell in the middle of the night. You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,”   
Alex laughed in reply, taking his hand and pulling him after the enderman.  
They set off, having no clue what was going to happen, but ready to face it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3 it’s all coming together. Steve being a worried bean gives me life XD 
> 
> A super huge thanks needs to go to my friend Grace for helping me edit this (esp Steve’s pov) She isn’t on ao3 but it would be a crime on my part to not say a thank you to my friends anyway XD I wouldn’t have even half a chapter done if it weren’t for them.
> 
> Sorry for the late upload too, I completely forgot it was Monday and probably would have missed uploading entirely if Iskalls new video hadn’t mentioned it XDD (yet another example of my over dependence on Hermitcraft lol)
> 
> Have a fantastic day you gorgeous human, don’t ever forget to be awesome!!  
> <3 ST


	13. Chapter 13

_Steve hated the Nether._

_He hated the heat and the oppressing fog.  
He hated the shrieks of distant ghasts and the constant sense that something was watching him.  
He hated wondering what would try to kill him around the next corner ( and although he realised partway through the walk that the enderman was probably warding off other mobs, it did little to calm his nerves)._

_Steve would have preferred to be doing literally anything but be in this stupid dimension, but that really wasn’t up for debate, because as much as he hated the Nether, he also loved Alex.  
There was turning back now. If she could walk through this hellscape like it was an afternoon stroll, then he had absolutely no excuses. _

_As they walked, he tried to push back the doubtful thoughts that crowded his mind. The last time he had visited the Nether had been less than pleasant, and there had always seemed to be some new flashback arising at the least opportune time. With so many things could go wrong on a normal day, it was hard for him to hold onto a positive outlook while following an enderman of all things._

_Steve glanced up at the creature, but it only served to feed the nervous knot in his stomach. After all, the thing had stayed a good twenty blocks ahead of them that entire time, never once looking back. It was like it knew they were following… anything that could tell that much just creeped him out._

_“Remind me why we’re doing this,”  
Steve turned to Alex, wondering if it was too late tell the enderman this wasn’t a good idea.  
“Because…. I’ve got a feeling.” Alex said, sounding far more confident than he felt.  
“A feeling. Yeah, okay. That’s totally reasonable.” Steve shook his head, hating his fears. How could she be so calm about this?_

_“I’m serious. This just feels… important. After all, how many times does a green enderman come talk to you asking for help? And besides, it knew things, from the Before.”  
“Well, it actually just has green eyes.”  
“You know what I meant,” Alex said, wrinkling her nose at him.  
“In my experience, no enderman, green or otherwise, has come looking for help. And I’ve never heard of them sharing memories.”_

_“Exactly!” Alex exclaimed, as if that alone proved her point. Case closed. End of story.  
“So that’s all there is to it? Just a good feeling? Cause I’ve got a pretty good feeling we’re going to die.” Steve said matter-of-factly, trying to cover up his nerves. It wasn’t working.  
“Could you please relax? You could have a tiny bit of faith in me.” She huffed, crossing her arms._

_Steve sighed, putting an arm around her waist.  
“Look, I do have faith in you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”  
Alex rolled her eyes, pretending not to hear him.  
“I’m just not a huge fan of endermen. Or the Nether. Or an enderman leading you into the Nether for Jeb knows what in the middle of the night. Or heck! You not even bothering to wake me up before going into the Nether with said enderman in the middle of the night.”  
Alex laughed incredulously, wrapping an arm around him as well._

_“Yeesh, please chill out. In my defence, I wasn’t planning on coming here… wherever this is. And I didn’t want to wake you up for something stupid… I didn’t think it would be that big a deal.” Alex blushed, and he felt a little bad for being mad.  
“Yeah…. Okay. I’m just worried is all…”  
“Don’t be. Nothing bad has happened yet, right?”  
“Right… Just… wake me up next time, ok? Even if it’s stupid.”  
“Alright.”_

_Alex leaned against Steve’s shoulder, and they walked together in silence for a moment._

_“So... you said this place is called the Nether?” Alex said curiously, breaking through the quiet.  
“Oh! I’m so sorry! … I totally forgot that you wouldn’t remember that,” Steve said guiltily, running a hand through his hair. He’d completely forgotten that she wasn’t getting memories back anymore. He made a mental note to do a better job explaining random things; after all, he probably already knew most of the things she’d forgotten. The whole memory thing was so unfair..._

_“The Nether… Nether.” Alex’s curious voice cut through Steve’s thoughts.  
“That sounds kind of dark... like even its name wants you to think its the worst.” She looked around the Crimson Forest they were walking through, and Steve could practically see the pistons firing in her head as she put the name to the place._

_“You don’t think its the worst?”  
Alex tilted her head at him as if really considering this.  
“I mean its a little too hot for my taste, but other than that I think it’s interesting. Everything is all cool and… alien… although it would be better if something lived here.”_

_“Oh, there’s plenty of things that live here. We’re just lucky your friend is keeping them away.” Steve said, gesturing to the enderman.  
“Pretty much everything here likes to try and kill you.”  
“Like what?” Alex’s voice was brimming with curiosity, and she looked around as if hoping to catch a glance of some sort of creature._

_“Man, where to start,” Steve ran a hand through his hair, thinking.  
“Well, there’s piglins. They look like evil walking pig thugs.”  
“‘Evil walking pig thugs’?” Alex laughed, raising an eyebrow at him.  
“You’re pulling my chain.” She said, shoving him playfully._

_“Am not!” He said, nudging her back. “They walk on two legs and have big tusks. They carry crossbows and axes, and they’re crazy obsessed with gold. They’ll attack you if you aren’t wearing the stuff.” Alex laughed, shaking her head at him, before looking at his face.  
“Wait, you’re serious?”  
“100%.”  
“Then what else is there?”_

_“Well… there’re also these things called hoglins; they’re like evil pigs, but they walk on all fours and they want to kill everyone whether you’re wearing gold or not.” He said matter of factly, ticking them off on his fingers.  
“Oh, and there’re zombie versions of both of them. The zombie piglins are fine unless you attack them, and the zombie hoglins are pretty much the same, just more decayed.”  
“There’s no way all that’s true,” Alex said, looking sceptical._

_“You think I could make up all that?”  
At this she paused, considering.  
“No?” she said uncertainly, her forehead creased in thought.  
Steve laughed, enjoying being the know it all for once.  
“Exactly. And piglins aren’t even the end of it. There’re also these things called ghasts,”_

_Alex paused, dropping her arm from around him.  
“Steve, wait,”  
“They’re huge floating-”  
She pulled him to a stop, pointing up ahead. The enderman had stopped.  
“I think we’re here.”_

\---

Alex wasn’t sure what she had expected… but it wasn’t this. 

She and Steve hurried over to the enderman, coming to stop on the edge of a steep hill. Here the netherrack crumbled down and out, the close ceiling giving way to reveal a large valley filled with blue-tinged smog. She stood wide-eyed and tried to take it all in, curiosity and nervous adrenaline filling her.

The steep red slope they were on gave way to some sort of dark brown dirt (or maybe sand?) below. It looked windblown and ancient, despite the lack of moving air. Bright teal fires crackled and popped across the expanse, casting an eerie blue glow through the fog and faintly illuminating a large skeleton of some long-dead beast protruding from the ground.

The most remarkable thing about the valley, however, was not the terrain, but the ominous fortress that dwarfed the entire landscape.

As if it had been forced into place, the structure jutted up from the ground, its main entry encroaching upon the far cliff face of the valley. It was crafted from a dark sort of brick, the material sucking in all the light around it. A ruinous stairway swept up from the ground to meet the main entrance, an archway that looked unnervingly like an open mouth.

The entire building gave off the feeling that it was just waiting to swallow them whole.

“That thing wants us to go in _there_?!” Steve exclaimed, looking a bit panicked. “That’s a death trap if I’ve ever seen one.”

Alex sighed. She didn’t feel very confident in this either, but she also wanted answers.  
She turned to the enderman, hoping it would say something else.  
“What are we here for?”

The creature looked down at her, its eyes expressionless.

**key inside. need you help take. find gate, help save ᔑᒷℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷**

Alex blinked up at the creature, confused. She could barely understand the enderman usually, but she was sure the final part had been in a different language.  
It was a dark, melodic sort of word that sent a strange shiver down her spine. It felt oddly familiar as if she had heard it before, but try as she might, she couldn’t grasp the memory.

Maybe she knew the language in the Before and just couldn’t recall it anymore. Maybe it was a word in the enderman’s language and didn’t have a translation. Or maybe it was just gibberish. Whatever it was, it didn’t help that there weren’t many context clues to use…

“What did it say?” Steve said. He definitely sounded nervous now.  
“It said there’s a key inside, and that it needs our help to take it? That will open a gate… kind of like a portal.” Alex glanced back up at the enderman, but it didn’t provide any more info; just stared at her with those glowing green eyes.  
“Did it say why? Or where, for that matter?”

Alex shook her head, wishing the creature could just speak clearly. “I’m not really sure… it said it all really weirdly, and I’m pretty sure it was speaking another language towards the end.”  
Steve sighed, looking back out over the valley. “That’s really not comforting. We don’t even have any real idea of what could be in there.” He ran a shaking hand through his hair with a sigh, staring out at the fortress before taking Alex’s hand.  
“We can turn back now. There’s no reason why we have to help this thing.”

Alex blinked up at him, not really sure what to say. She didn’t have a good answer, but she couldn’t just _give up_. She was curious… maybe too much so. She wanted to know why the creature from her dream had come searching for her help, why it had called for her specifically. It had to mean something, right? 

The more she thought about it, she realized what she was really hoping for. 

What if this enderman- this journey- had to do with her amnesia? What if this creature knew, and was hoping they could help each other? It had showed her one instance; maybe it knew more. Could she get her memory back by helping them? 

It sounded stupid and far fetched, and she knew it. Still… that didn’t stop the idea from being there. Alex didn’t want to leave without answers. She couldn’t.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath “I’m not going back. Not yet. I can’t explain why this is important, but it is.” She bit her lip nervously, unsure what to do next.  
“You can go home if you want; It isn’t your journey, and I get that this place scares you.”  
Steve opened his mouth as if to speak, but she put a hand to his chest, cutting him off as she spoke faster.

“But I want- I need to know what comes next. This creature came to _me_ , and with everything that’s been going on, I can’t just stop when I’m this close to answers. I can’t give up if there’s even a chance,” She paused, not wanting to voice the stupid idea. 

“Alex,”

She took a shaky breath, meeting Steve’s worried eyes. He covered her hand with his own, sighing.  
“You’re really not going to let this go, are you?”  
Alex shook her head slightly, wishing she had more than just a gut feeling to justify herself with.

“Okay then. I guess we’re going in the death castle.”

Alex stared at him openmouthed. That was not at all the response she had expected.  
Steve grinned, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.  
“You’re really cute when you’re surprised.”

Without another word, he started down the slope, drawing his sword. The enderman took this as a cue that they were ready and teleported to the bottom of the hill. Alex blinked away her shock and slid down the slope after them. The trio started across the valley towards the fortress.

It didn’t take long to reach the crumbling steps that spread in front of them, although they did cross some strange sort of quicksand that dragged Alex down with a chilling effect (“It’s called soul sand. Its best to just avoid it.”) At the base of the stairway, the fortress seemed even more imposing; almost as if it was judging the two small humans and dwarfed enderman standing at its base. 

The creature glanced at Steve and Alex, gesturing to the stairs and teleporting to the top in a flash of greenish-blue light.  
“I guess this is it,” Alex said softly, gripping her trident tightly.  
“I guess so. You ready?”  
Alex met Steve’s eyes and took a deep breath.  
“Not at all. Let’s go.”

She started up the steps, carefully avoiding crumbled steps and large holes. The enderman watched intently as they reached the top, warbling approvingly when they finally made it.

The creature reached out and put a hand on each of their shoulders, speaking one word into both of their minds.

**follow.**

Alex readied her trident, and Steve drew his sword from its sheath. With one last glance to each other, they followed the enderman in through the black maw of the fortress. 

Darkness seemed to swallow them whole, and it took Alex a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dim. Slowly, she was able to see a long tunnel up ahead, the ceilings relatively low to their heads. The enderman had to duck to walk through it, and the dark brick walls seemed to be pressing in on them.

They started walking, this time staying silent. Something about being in the fortress pulled all the desire to talk away.

After a moment, the group came to a crossroads, more tunnels stretching out to the left, right, and front. The enderman didn’t hesitate to continue on the same tunnel, ignoring the intersection completely. There was no sound, other than the dim patter of their feet on the dark brick. It was honestly pretty unnerving, and for the first time since entering the Nether, Alex felt truly nervous about the whole thing.

She reached out and took Steve’s hand, silently twining her fingers through his. He gently squeezed her hand, and Alex got the feeling that he was just as apprehensive as she was. Together they continued forward, silently supporting each other as the tunnel slowly opening up around them.

Soon, the whole area was at least five blocks wide, the ceiling arching high above them. The space was still made of the same dark bricks, but here there were all kinds of intricate arches and alcoves along the way, with even more hallways leading out from the main path.

Despite this, the enderman never changed its course nor looked to either side, just walked purposefully down the middle of the fortress. Alex and Steve followed close behind, both growing a bit more on edge the longer they walked. Eventually, they reached a wide-open room, and it was here the enderman stopped.

The space was grand and cavernous, lava pouring from the ceiling at regular intervals, looking almost like columns. In the centre of the space was a raised platform that held a small object, spinning slowly.

It was a faintly glowing orb that seemed to be an eye of some sort. The object’s outer edge was a deep navy, while the inner colours kept shifting in a radial pattern outward, ranging from dark cyan to bright aquamarine. The whole thing seemed to be made of a crystalline material, orange light from the lava piercing through its light lilac glow.

The orb radiated an aura of mystery… as if this object might hold countless secrets if you only looked hard enough for them. Alex couldn’t tear her gaze away from it as a strange sense of awe filled her. Without a doubt, this had to be the key the enderman had talked about.

The group drew to a halt right before the room’s threshold, the enderman blocking the exit. Steve and Alex shared a nervous glance, waiting for the creature to do something. 

The enderman stared at the orb in the centre for a long moment before turning to lay a hand on Alex’s shoulder. When it spoke into her mind, it sounded almost forlorn, a sweetly melancholy tone to its voice.

**ᒷ||ᒷ is key, for gate. can no take for self. Alex help free?**

She gazed up at the creature, whos eyes now seemed to be shifting to an even more pronounced shade of blue than the green of earlier. She wasn’t sure what that could mean, but it didn’t seem to bode well. 

And what it had said… that first word, in the endermans language; did that mean the orb?  
Did she want to take it? What would happen if she did? Where was this gate? Was there more that the enderman wanted, or was this all just some elaborate trap?

She bit her lip, shifting her grip on the trident. What was she supposed to do? Was there a right answer?

After a moment of silence, Steve spoke in a nervous whisper.

“What did it say?”

Alex looked from the enderman to Steve, her hand still tightly grasping his. 

“It wants me to take the eye. Says it’s a key... for some sort of gate? I think it can’t take the orb itself.”

“And are you going to?”

Alex looked back at the enderman, who met her gaze steadily, no emotion on its face. Was she?

“I don’t know,” she whispered, struggling to decide. Was it right? She didn’t know anything about the enderman’s goals, or who had put the orb here, or who it would help (or hurt) if she took it. She had hoped earlier that an explanation would present itself, but she still knew next to nothing.

She turned to the enderman, uneasy. She needed to know for sure.

“Tell me why you need help.”

The creature looked at her curiously, as if considering its answer. It stood there for a moment, before finally brushing Alex’s shoulder again, but this time, it didn’t speak. It showed her.

_She was back in the void, with the yellow stone and the endermen._

_Only this time it was different. There were no dark towers and no purple eyes._

_The place seemed almost peaceful, the sound of easy chatter floating through the air._

_Everywhere she looked, friendly green eyes and that same musical language greeted her. There were tall, oddly-shaped houses and strange blossoming trees all around._

_It was beautiful._

_And suddenly, something shifted._

_A darkness washed over the city, and one by one the green eyes turned to purple._

_The alien houses crumbled beneath obsidian towers, and the beautiful plants shrivelled beneath violet flames._

_The once melodic voices turned distorted, losing their tune to become a shadow of what she had just heard._

_Dread filled every bone in her body, and this time, Alex felt as if she had been trapped._

_The purple eyes turned to watch her, their voices rising in a chorus of angry shrieks as the darkness covered everything._

_And then it was over._

Just as quickly as it had started, the vision shut down, pulling Alex jarringly back into the heat of the Nether.

She gasped, falling to her knees under the weight of the memory. Because that’s what it was, a memory.

But not hers. It was the enderman’,s.

Alex closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves. She could still feel the pull of the darkness had, how those desperate purple eyes bore into her, trying to turn her into one of them. It was terrible, and it left a bitter ache in her chest. She wanted it to stop, wanted to scream and run and do whatever it took to get rid of it.

Oh.

The endermen.

Was this how they felt?

Was this why they attacked? Why they had attacked her?

“Alex?!”

Steve. Panicked.

She could barely hear his voice. Why was he shouting? Didn’t he realise what it meant? 

“What did you do to her, monster?!”

No. He didn’t know. It wasn’t a monster. None of them were.

Steve raised his sword, and Alex could feel the tension in the air. _Stop fighting_. It was the darkness’ fault, not the enderman. He wasn’t listening.

Alex vaguely realised he couldn’t possibly hear her thoughts, and just like that, the trance was broken.

_“Wait!”_

Alex held up a hand, trying to catch her breath. 

“Wait. Don’t attack.”

The enderman didn’t move, and Steve lowered his sword, coming to kneel at her side.  
“What was that?! Are you ok?” Alex waved a hand at him, trying to shake off the last traces of the darkness.  
“I’m fine.”  
“Are you sure? Can you breath alright.”

She nodded, closing her eyes tight as she struggled to swallow the scalding smoke around them.  
“I’m ok. The enderman- it showed me… why it needs help.”  
Steve blinked at her, his dark indigo eyes wide with surprise.  
“Oh.”  
Alex nodded. That summed it up pretty well.  
“I think… I think I’m going to help it.”

“Help it? Like… take the orb?”  
Alex nodded. They both sat there for a moment, both recognising how little they knew.

Alex stood, and Steve rose with her.  
“If you’re sure about this…”  
“I am.”

She turned to the enderman, meeting its eyes with a new understanding. It was trapped. All it wanted was to be free. It was probably already running out of time to tell her.

Maybe she didn’t have all her memory, but Alex knew when others needed help.  
And she was going to do whatever she could to help the endermen.

She turned to the eye, sitting so innocently in the middle of the dais, and took the first step over the threshold of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh, I forgot how much I love this chapter :3 
> 
> So, if you’ve seen some of my other work lately, you’ll know I’ve been grinding nonstop on a little HermitCraft story (note the irony here lol) called “The Admin”, and it’s been kind of a great way for me to get away from the writers block on this story.
> 
> However... that also means I haven’t been working 7+ hours a day on this story, and since I still very much love this idea (despite a small case of burnout) I’m going to go on a three week hiatus for this story. I still want all the work I do to be the best I can make it, so this break will let me take some free time and flesh out more later points without any pressure. 
> 
> Chapter 14 will be out on September 21, and from there we’ll see how it goes ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> Tysm for your time and support, it really means the world to me to know someone’s read my little story :3  
> Dftba y’all, I’ll be back here soon, and in the meantime The Admin will be updating regularly!   
> <3 ST


	14. Chapter 14

Alex cautiously made her way across the room, gripping her trident tightly. Nothing moved. She barely breathed, feeling tense, despite the stillness around her. 

She made it to the centre, a small set of stairs leading up to the eye. A few short steps and she would be there. 

Alex took a deep breath, gearing herself up.

She stepped up the first stair. Then another. And the final one. She was mere feet away from the orb. Was it just her, or was it glowing brighter?

She took a hesitant step forward, glancing around to see if there was a trap or something. She couldn’t see anything obvious, nothing out of place. She turned to look at Steve and the enderman one last time. Steve gave her a small thumbs-up, the enderman simply watching with emotionless blue eyes.

Had they been blue the whole time? She seemed to remember them being green when she first met it...

_Snap out of it Alex_. She shook herself out of her thoughts, pulling her attention back to the glowing eye in front of her. Up close it was even stranger, its aura seeming to pull her in. The air around it was cold, in stark contrast to the stifling heat of the surrounding Nether.

It was now or never.

Time seemed to slow as Alex cautiously reached out for the orb, a shockwave of cold running up her arm as her fingertips brushed the smooth object. For a split second, it glowed brighter than ever, letting out a brilliant flash of light that encapsulated the whole room before dropping into her palm.

Alex blinked away the sudden spots in her vision as the light died down again, staring at the artefact in her hands. She held her breathe for a moment, waiting for something to happen, but nothing moved.

What had that been? Was that really all there was to it?

She turned to face the enderman, a bit shocked that it had been so easy. Alex walked off the platform, the wave of blissful cold following her as she made her way back to the entrance.

“So… that’s it?” Steve asked apprehensively as she paused just inside the room.  
“Nothing else? No big fight or anything?”

Alex shook her head, feeling the same sentiment. It felt like there should have been some kind of challenge… but there was still nothing. No traps, no danger. Just the eye safely gripped in her palm.

“Maybe that’s really it.” She said, shrugging in surprise. “I mean, nothing went wrong right?”  
“Don’t jinx it” Steve laughed, still sounding a bit nervous, but relaxing all the same.

Alex grinned, turning over the eye in her hand. Suddenly, the Nether felt far less intimidating, almost bearable. Why had she been so worried in the first place?

“So, does this mean we can go home now? Do we have to find the gate you were talking about, or can it wait?”

Right. The gate.  
As much as Alex wanted to rest now, it seemed there was still more to be done.

“I’m not sure,” she said thoughtfully, turning to look at the enderman. She was hit once again by how much its eyes had changed. They were now quite clearly blue, the colour turning darker as she watched.

“Um, what happens next?” She said, trying to focus and push away the strange eyes.

The enderman tilted its head as if thinking. If she didn’t know better, Alex would have said it looked nervous.

**little time. back to 𝙹⍊ᒷ∷∴𝙹∷ꖎ↸ quick.**

“I… I don’t understand”  
She was running out of time, but time for what? She had already gotten the eye, but she had the sneaking suspicion that getting to the gate wouldn’t be quite so easy to find. That and the fact that the creature’s eyes were slowly turning darker blue made her nervous. Was that the timer? If they turned back to purple, did that mean whatever control she had seen over the other endermen would be back?

She would rather not find out.

“What did it say?” Steve asked, looking between the enderman and Alex.   
“It said there’s ‘little time’ and that we need to go back? It wasn’t totally speaking English again though.” she said hesitantly, not wanting to over-interpret anything and wind up making a mistake. Now that she had the eye, or ‘key’ as the enderman called it, she didn’t want to jump to conclusions if it was as important as the creature made it seem.

“I’m not positive, but I think it’s running out of time to be here. If its eyes turn purple again…”  
“Then it’s back to wanting to kill things.” Steve finished, glancing up worriedly at the enderman.

The creature nodded, warbling agreement. A chill ran up Alex’s spine at the implications. She’d been hit pretty hard the last time she’d fought one of the enderman, and she definitely didn’t go up against this one. She was beginning to see it as a friend of sorts and wasn’t all too keen to kill it.

“Well… we just have to get back home before that happens, right? We won’t reach that point.” Alex tried to force confidence into her voice, slinging her trident back over her shoulder.  
“Let’s go.”

She started out of the throne room, but as she crossed the threshold back into the main hallway, the orb in her hand flashed brightly again. A shockwave ran through her, the comfortable chill the artefact had been emitting replaced by a rush of heat. The whole eye seemed to power down, the shifting patterns turning still and the glow fading. 

She froze, shocked. The eye was completely dead, all of its energy gone. 

Suddenly, a terrible sound rang through the halls, like metal grating against metal. Alex quickly put the eye in her inventory, turning to find the source of the sound.

That’s when the explosions started.

\---

_The second the eye crossed from the throne room, Steve knew they were in trouble._

_The sound that shrieked through the stifling air brought that all too familiar feeling of memories crashing down over his head. He knew this sound… he’d heard it so many times before, every memory permeated with fear and pain. In an instant, a hundred memories had flashed through his mind, bringing dread._

_He’d been wondering where the challenge was, but for the love of Notch, why did it have to be Blazes?_

_In the moment it took for Steve to remember the monsters and take in the ten or so heading for them, the creatures had gotten halfway toward the central dais, sending a barrage of fireballs toward the group. The enderman screeched, teleporting out of the way as the flames hit._

_Steve dodged to the side as a fire charge rocketed towards his face, pulling his sword out of its sheath. Wracking his newly expanded memory, he searched for a good way to kill the things, but couldn’t find a single recollection where ending just one Blaze had been easy. From what he could tell there was no easy way to get rid of them. Great._

_“What are those things?!” Alex shouted over the grating breath of the mobs, rolling forward to escape one of their charges.  
“They’re called Blazes,” Steve said worriedly, ducking behind one of the hall’s pillars.  
“How do we get them to stop shooting?!” Alex said, flattening herself against the opposite wall. _

_“You don’t, not really. Just don’t get hit.” Steve said, backing up farther down the hall._

_More terrible metallic breaths rang through the area, the monsters floating toward them in a rough formation. The enderman reappeared in between them, hitting them in random succession._

_“Something tells me they’re not just going to leave us alone.” Alex huffed, peering around her pillar. Most of the blazes were focused on the enderman, but the nearest blaze had focused in on her._

_It fired off another shot, the blast flying over her shoulder and sending bits of the wall flying._

_“Rude!” Alex yelled, ducking out of cover to hurl her trident toward the creature. The weapon struck the monster with a sharp clang, causing it to stumble backwards. Steve darted out from the wall, slashing at its head quickly._

_The blaze roared, spinning to face Steve, and for a moment he was scared that it would hit him._

_“Duck!” Alex shouted. Steve dropped to the ground, just in time for Alex to call her trident back to her hand. The pronged weapon speared the blaze as it came flying across the hall, and with a final grating sigh, the blaze dissipated._

_Steve blinked at the pile of spinning golden rods left in front of him, surprised at how easy that had been.  
“You didn’t tell me you could do that!” he exclaimed, handing her the trident.  
“I didn’t know until just now,” Alex laughed, taking the weapon. _

_Before he could say anything else, a stray fireball landed at Steve’s feet. He stumbled back from the fire and took cover against the wall again.  
“What now?” He asked, watching in disbelief as the enderman battled the remaining blazes._

_There had initially been ten, but while it had taken Steve and Alex together to bring down one, the enderman had already killed four on its own, teleporting in and out faster than Steve could track._

_“Should we do something?” Alex asked, her voice raised over the sound of the fight.  
“I’m not sure… I think it has this covered.” Steve shifted his sword from hand to hand, a bit nervous. The sound of the blazes metallic breathing mixed with the enderman’s screeches was chaotic enough, but there was something else worrying him now that they were out of immediate danger._

_The enderman’s eyes were dark indigo now, darker than even Steve’s eyes. That couldn’t be good. If it ran out of time, he wasn’t sure if they could fight the creature and the blazes together._

_It must know there wasn’t long to keep going because the next instant it had teleported next to Steve and Alex. It put a hand on both of their shoulders, a strange determination in its uncanny blue eyes._

**we must go.**

_The creature’s voice sounded rushed but confident in Steve’s mind, and before he could even think of an answer, the world was folding around him, warping dizzily._

_He looked up, disoriented by the teleportation. Steve was now standing far down the tunnel, the blazes specks of gold in the distant haze. Alex stood next to him, looking equally confused._

_“What was th-”_

_His voice was cut off as the enderman grabbed their arms again, teleporting both Steve and Alex further down the tunnel. They stopped this time right before were the tunnel closed in, not even the sound of the blazes following. In two jumps they had completely evaded the danger._

_Steve glanced over at Alex who stared at the creature for a split second before meeting his eyes._

_“You heard it. We don’t have much time.”_

_Without another look back, Alex started quickly down the long hall, apparently shaking off the effects of teleporting easily. Steve paused to catch his breath for a second before following, ready to get out of the Nether as soon as possible._

_The enderman ducked low to walk through the tunnel, and the trio started back the way they had come, the silence deafening. The fortress had seemed endless coming in, but soon enough the entrance was in sight, and not a moment too soon; the enderman’s eyes were now turning a strange colour bordering on pink._

_They reached the steps to the fortress, Steve breathing a sigh of relief as the soulsand valley was unveiled before them. There were now a few zombie piglins down below, but otherwise the whole place looked exactly as they had left it._

_Slowing Steve and Alex started down the steps, carefully avoiding the cracked and broken parts of the stairway. Finally, they were out, they were going home. The blazes hadn’t stopped them, and the eye was now in Alex’s possession._

_For the first time on the trip Steve started to relax, but it was a bit premature to let his guard down._

_A blood-curdling wail erupted from off to the side, the sound jarring Steve out of his relief. He turned, wide-eyed, to find a huge, ghostly monster floating around the corner of the structure. He’d relaxed too quickly. In an instant, it was clear that they were far from out of the woods._

_The ghast dropped lower in the stifling air, and the time slowed as it turned its menacing red glare on Alex, opening its mouth with a deafening screech and letting loose a ball of fire._

_She didn’t move fast enough._

_Steve didn’t move fast enough._

_The blast arced through the air, and there was nothing he could do as he watched the fireball hit._

_Alex fell with a shout, and Steve realised he’d failed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp... it’s been a couple weeks, and I’ve had to come to the decision that I have no clue what to happens next XD 
> 
> Sure, I have a lot of plans for this story, and a lot of scenes written for later. However, this haitus didn’t give me any good idea of how to fix this “middle slump”. This is the last full chapter that I have written and am happy with, and while I hate the idea of giving up, I think it will be best for my writing process and this story’s overall coherence to put it aside indefinitely.
> 
> I am so so sorry what I have is so short, and I’m really sorry for leaving it off on a cliffhanger like this... I know that’s really frustrating as a reader, and I’m kind of ticked off at myself for abandoning the project after all the time I’ve put in trying to construct this. 
> 
> Alas, it is what it is XD   
> If you’ve kept up this long, I just want to say a big huge _thank you_ for reading my story, and I truly hope to have more to give you... eventually.
> 
> In the meantime, I will still be writing! You can check out my page for short stories, along with my current big project “The Admin”. I hope you all have a wonderful day, and don’t forget to be awesome!!   
> I hope to see you all later :)
> 
> <3 SweetTea


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